Fire & Ice: The Fine Line Between Love & Hate
by TheRealRenee
Summary: Adam and Amy hate each other. But then, why can't they keep their hands off one another...? Lita, Edge, Trish, Christian, Hardys, more
1. Fire&IceThe Fine Line Between Love&Hate

  


* * *

_November 2000_

The woman felt it in her bones - she was going to come out of this four-corners match for the WWF Women's title the victor, retaining her championship. She wasn't arrogant in the least, but she could eat all of these other women for lunch - Jacqueline, though tough and strong, hadn't won any matches in awhile, and she'd continuously defeated her, even in hardcore battles. Trish Stratus - the petite blonde Canadian had yet to master the art of wrestling. She had so far only competed in matches over the last four months, and all she could do was improve in the time to come. And Ivory - well, let's face it - she had just about lost her _mind _ever since joining up with Steven Richards and his pack of goons, Right to Censor. 

The woman was about to put an end to the match with one of her signature moves when two long-haired blond men ran out from the back and stormed the ring. She was so focused, she hadn't even noticed them. But suddenly, she felt a strong pair of arms lifting her up, another pair joining them, and the next thing she knew, she was side-suplexed. 

There was nothing the young woman could do but lay on her back on the canvas, in pain. As Ivory took the advantage by covering her for the three-count and therefore, taking away what was rightfully _hers_, the woman watched the men retreat to the back. Her eyes narrowed with hatred as the taller of the two flashed a huge, toothy grin at her. She vowed then and there to get even with him - because she knew that _he_, and not the other man, had been the instigator in this attack. She would make him pay. 

* 

Several minutes later, with the help of the referee, after the young woman had managed to stand, she limped painfully to the backstage area. The fans in the arena gave her a warm reception of cheers for her efforts, but she was deaf to that at the moment. Right now, her focus lay on the young man who had taken away her dream - and cost her her Women's championship. 

Once in the bowels of the arena, she made her way briskly to the locker room she knew the two men were sharing, and, without knocking, pushed her way inside. There he was - still clad in his metallic silver wrestling tights. He had immediately seen her as she barged in, and there was that ridiculous big, toothy grin he'd flashed at her only moments earlier. 

"You bastard!" she shouted as she sprang on him, hitting him with all her might. "I oughtta _kill _you!" 

The blond man grabbed at the fiery young woman, taken by surprise at this ambush. He'd known she was furious, but he'd never expected such violence. 

"_I hate you_!" she spat as she drew back her right arm and punched him squarely in the nose. 

"Oof!" the man exclaimed, letting go of her left wrist, which he'd managed to grab to prevent himself from being pummeled further. He brought both hands up to his face, and when he looked at them, he saw they were partially covered with blood. 

The woman initially looked surprised she had actually caused that much damage. "I hope I _broke _your damn nose!" she shouted, a measure of satisfaction coursing through her. 

"You bitch..." he hissed in a dangerously low voice. "...you want to play rough, do you?" The tall man grabbed the woman by her long red hair. He yanked her head back slightly, glaring angrily into her face as a look of fear suddenly crossed her features. 

"Let me go, asshole!" 

"No...no, I'm not gonna let you go..." 

Her expression darkened to fury as she tried to hit at him again. He roughly pulled her toward him, still glaring down into her hazel eyes, noticing, not for the first time, just how beautiful she was. 

As the woman stared daggers into him, she was having similar thoughts about _him_. Although she loathed the man, she'd always found him...well, gorgeous. He had a mysteriously dark, smoldering sensuality about him. 

He was still tugging on her hair, of which she was painfully aware. "Let me go!" 

"No...not a chance!" His emerald eyes widened as he smiled down cruelly at her. Then, to the woman's shock, he dipped his head to hers and crushed her lips with his own. She couldn't believe it - he was actually trying to _kiss _her! Well, she'd show him! She parted her lips slightly, and the man took this as an invitation. As he slid his hot tongue into her mouth, she made her move. 

"Ow! You skank! You _bit _me!" 

She laughed at him, but it was cut short as he made another dive for her mouth, this time rougher than before. She let out a small whimper as his large teeth brushed almost painfully against her smaller ones. 

The man let go of her hair, pressing himself taut against her as he backed her into a wall. His lips never moved off hers for even a second with the motions. 

The young woman squirmed, continuing to whimper a little as she attempted to twist her head away from his demanding lips. After a few minutes, she gave up the struggle as she began to hungrily kiss the blond man back with a passion she'd never quite known. 

He pressed more tightly up against her, letting her feel his now rock hardness, and she gasped, then pulled back. "Get off me!" Her eyes went very wide as she glanced down, seeing the huge bulge in his wrestling tights. Her frightened eyes rose again to meet his green ones, which seemed to sparkle with an almost maniacal glee. 

He said nothing, only chuckling a little as he lifted her, carrying her to a table in one corner of the room. She again struggled in his grasp and beat at his chest with her graceful hands. 

As he lay her on her back on the hard, uncovered table, he leaned over her, lowering his lips on hers again, his hot tongue demanding entrance to the soft moistness of her mouth. She kissed him back but made soft mewling sounds as he rubbed up against her. 

A moment later, the young man turned his attention to her throat, kissing, licking and nipping at it. The woman threw her head back and sighed deeply, enjoying this although her hands pushed ineffectually at his chisled chest. Moving his lips over her skin, he placed one hand to one of her full breasts and cupped it. 

The woman jerked back instantly, her hand reaching up to slap at his handsome face. "Get your hands _off _me!" 

Staring down at her, grinning almost maliciously, the man replied simply, in a low voice, "No..." He returned his attention to her breast, seeking and fingering the nipple through the thin fabric of the lavender sport bra she wore. 

"Oh...God!" she exclaimed as pleasurable sensations shot through her. What he was doing to her breast combined with that hard bulge pressing between her parted legs was almost too much for her to bear. Without thinking, she reached up and tangled her hands in his long, silky blond tresses and pulled his head down to hers, capturing his lips in a kiss so passionate it was dizzying. 

Before she could protest, and quite frankly, she wasn't sure she even _wanted _to at this point, the blond had quickly pulled his tights down, freeing himself. She gasped at the sight, her need nearly unendurable. 

He undid the black cargo pants she was wearing, which elicited a bit of a snarl from her as she again tried in vain to slap his hands away. 

"Stop it!" the woman cried, though she wanted more than anything for him to be inside of her. 

Ignoring her meager protests, the man lowered her pants and pulled away her thong, then lowered his head. 

"Oh, God!" the young woman exclaimed as his tongue prodded away at the most sensitive parts of her body. He teased her a little, moving softly when she preferred a more firm movement. 

"Oh, God..._please_," she whimpered, lifting her hips slightly to meet the motions of the man's tongue. It seemed he always _did _enjoy tormenting her. 

She tugged on his long hair - hard. He proceeded to work on her the way he realized she wanted, and he moved his tongue faster and more firmly against her. She tasted sweet, which pleased him. 

In moments, her body was wracked with what had to be the most intense orgasm of her life. She cried out loudly, the moans quickly becoming whimpers. 

"Oh, God...oh, God," the woman whispered breathlessly. She wondered where the other man was, his tag team partner. "P-please!" 

The tall blond man lifted his head from between her legs, grinning as he pushed forward and suddenly plunged into her, filling her. His smile broadened as he realized how wet - and ready - she was for him. He began to pump in and out of her body quickly, almost roughly, and her hands twined in his long golden locks with need. She began to moan as the delicious ecstasy overtook her again. And once again, she wondered where the man's partner was - but she realized that the notion that he could walk in and catch them - for the man giving her all this pleasure hadn't locked the door - turned her on even more. 

"Oh, God!" she cried as she came again. "Oh-" 

"Say my name," the man ordered as he continued to thrust deep and hard into her. 

"Oh, God...Edge!" she cried. 

"My _real _name," he said in a hoarse whisper as his breathing became heavier. "Say my _real _name..." 

"_Adam_!" She let loose and came again. "Oh, _Adam_!" She gripped his firm buttocks, kneading them in her hands, her fingernails gripping their flesh. 

He grinned as he reached the brink immediately after her, collapsing onto her as he emptied himself into her. 

"My God..." he breathed as he lay his head on her breasts, which were still covered by the sports bra. The intensity of their coupling had been nearly overwhelming. He savored the moment, basking in the afterglow, and, with satisfaction, digested his first taste of Amy Dumas... 

  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**Part 2**

**Back**   
  
  
  
  



	2. Fire&IceThe Fine Line Between Love&Hate

  


* * *

_Two Weeks Later_

Amy Dumas sat at a table in the cafe of the restaurant at the hotel in which she was staying. Sitting with her were Matt and Jeff Hardy, her two closest friends. While the brothers discussed what would be happening next for them in the squared circle, she tried to listen and even put in her two cents every now and then, but she was too preoccupied. 

It was ridiculous - it had only been _one _night - and that one night never should have happened. But the memory of Adam Copeland's touch, his hauntingly beautiful emerald-green eyes and intoxicating kisses - all stayed with Amy. 

She tried to shake these thoughts off, willed them away - in the nearly a year they'd known each other, she and the blond man had never gotten along. It seemed they were natural enemies. She was _way _better off without him - and without remembering one strange night of mindless passion they'd shared that had actually started out with violence. 

"What do you think about that, Ames?" 

Amy suddenly became aware that Matt was talking to her. "Huh?" 

"I was just asking you about the strategy Jeff and I were planning for our next match against Right to Censor." 

"Oh..." She wracked her brain but realized she hadn't picked up a word either Hardy had said. 

"Are you all right, Amy?" Jeff questioned, reaching across the table to gently grasp his friend's wrist. 

The redhead quickly ran both hands through her long hair. "Yeah...I'm fine," she replied with a tiny smile for her friends' benefit. "Just a little tired, that's all." 

Despite her words, both men looked at her doubtingly. Amy knew Matt and Jeff were onto her. They both knew her so well and always could see right through her when she was lying. Then again, she was a terrible liar. 

She suddenly whipped her head in the direction of the entrance to the cafe, a voice penetrating her thoughts. A voice which she had replayed over and over in her mind over the past couple of weeks. Adam... 

Amy's gaze was drawn to the tall, handsome blond Canadian as he entered the room with his best friend, Jay Reso. She felt a surge of anger well up inside of her as she realized he wasn't looking at her. She felt invisible - used...unimportant. Like a skank, as Adam had called her once during _that _night. 

"Hey, guys!" Jeff was suddenly calling to them. Amy wanted to hit her rainbow-haired friend for this but restrained herself. 

The two blond men waved and came over. Matt and Jeff were friends with Adam and Jay - and Amy herself was friends with Jay. It was just Adam and Amy who never seemed to see eye to eye. Therefore, she always made sure to hang out with any combination of them without Adam, or else made herself scarce whenever he was around them. It seemed anytime they'd _tried _to hang out together, they always ended up at each other's throats. Somehow, a simple conversation would always end up in an argument. 

"Why don't you sit with us?" Matt suggested as he kicked out the chair across from him. 

Amy wanted to smack the dark-haired man on the arm as a way to "thank" him for the invitation, but she didn't. Instead, she kept her mouth shut and clasped her hands on the table before her. 

"Hey, Ames," Jay said with a smile. Amy said a reluctant hello back. She liked Jay Reso. He was kind, warm and had a goofy sense of humor that made her laugh and feel at ease. She wondered how he and Adam, who was so much different, had ever become friends. 

Adam - he hadn't said hello to her, and she hadn't greeted him, either. They usually avoided such niceties. She turned her head away, refusing to even look in his direction. No one but them knew about _that _night, and they had never even so much as discussed it afterward. 

The four men briefly discussed some upcoming matches, and the redhead merely sipped her coffee, not contributing to the conversation. She didn't care - she had nothing to say, as her mind was still occupied. Then, all of a sudden, something drew her attention. 

"So, what do you guys think of the new diva? She's hot, isn't she?" 

Amy turned her head to stare at Adam, whom she knew was referring to Nora Greenwald. The little blonde had just made her WWF debut on RAW earlier that week as Molly Holly, cousin of Crash and Hardcore. 

"Yeah, she's pretty cute," Matt concurred. "Good wrestler, too." 

"I wouldn't mind training with _that_," Adam continued. "She can pin me anytime!" He flashed that famous grin of his, and Amy was suddenly fuming as she glared at him quite obviously. 

The elder Hardy chuckled a bit as he reached over to high-five the tall blond. 

"Err, guys," Jay interjected. "We _do _have a lady present here." He glanced meaningfully at Amy, a little embarrassed over how the other guys were acting. 

"Of course...sorry, Ames," Matt said sincerely as he nudged her. 

But the redhead barely heard him. Her mind and eyes were still completely focused on Adam as she stared at him with disgust - which, to her shock, she was not feeling merely as a result of his behavior. She wondered why she would suddenly have any feelings of jealousy listening to his mindless blither about Nora Greenwald or any other woman. The truth was, she didn't care whether Adam Copeland lived or died. Actually, that wasn't true - while she disliked him with a passion, she would never wish him _death_. Maybe just a little physical suffering... 

* 

_The Following Month - December 2000_

Amy was enjoying herself during her current angle in which Dean Malenko relentlessly pursued Lita. In reality, Dean was a real sweetheart who actually calmed her down quite a bit. The two of them also had some matches against one another - so they prepared for them by training together. 

At the Armageddon pay-per-view, the six person mixed tag team elimination match pitting Team Xtreme against Radicalz Eddy Guerrero, Perry Saturn and Malenko saw Lita and Dean as the last two competitors. 

Although the diva lost, she was still thrilled about having been in the match. Not only did it increase her popularity with the fans, but it also showed the world she was able to wrestle in a physical match with a man. Perhaps she would get more shots at the Light Heavyweight title in the future because of this. 

After the match, Amy walked to the back with Matt and Jeff, who had come out to assist her after Dean's victory via his Texas Cloverleaf. He'd tossed her out of the ring like a ragdoll when it was all over. 

"That was fantastic, Ames!" Matt was complimenting her, when suddenly, her attention was shifted elsewhere. The redhead narrowed her eyes as she stared at the pair several feet away, yet nearby. 

Adam Copeland and Nora Greenwald were chatting just a few steps from the women's locker room. Well, the petite blonde was currently doing the talking, the tall Canadian leaning casually and comfortably against the wall as he listened. He was grinning at her as he gazed, with what looked to Amy to be fascination, down into her pretty face. 

Amy could tell the two blonds liked each other, and it made her fill with rage. She especially hated that, in order to get to the locker room, she would have to pass right by them. 

"You okay, Amy?" Jeff was asking her. 

She glanced up into his face and then at Matt as well. "Yeah...of course...why wouldn't I be?" Then, realizing they were in front of the Hardys' locker room, she said, "I'll leave you guys to shower now. See you later." Before either of them could utter a reply, she trotted off, her steps quickening as she passed Adam and Nora. She was relieved when she was inside the locker room, but she wasn't looking forward to the blond diva returning. 

* 

"I should get back to my locker room now," Adam said as he forced himself not to look toward the closed door of the women's locker room. It had taken a lot of his willpower not to turn his head to stare at the redhead who had passed by a few minutes earlier. 

"Okay," Nora said. "Well, Adam, it was really nice of you to show me around and stuff...maybe we'll run into each other later?" 

"Yeah," the tall blond said with a smile. He was actually _betting _on it. "See you." 

When Nora was gone, he walked down the hallway to the locker room he and Jay were sharing. He thought about what he'd been doing the last few weeks and sighed, running his hand through his long blond hair. 

He knew that what he was doing was rotten and underhanded, but he didn't see any other way. In his mind, this was the only way to be sure. Well, not quite the _only _way - he had a few more tricks up his sleeve. He would save that for a bit later. 

* 

_January 2001_

"Hey, Trish," Adam said as he approached the petite form of Trish Stratus. 

"Hi, Adam," the small Canadian blonde replied with a smile. "What's up?" 

"Well," he began. "Funny you should ask that, because I need a favor from you." 

Prettily arching an eyebrow, the blonde said, "What kind of favor?" 

Adam proceeded to explain what he had in mind, and by the time he was done, Trish's face was dominated by a frown. "I don't think I like that idea, Adam." 

"Oh, come on, Trish," he said. "It's not that big a deal." He grinned at the short blonde as if his smile could convince her to change her mind. 

"But it's not _right_," she protested. "I don't understand...why don't you just be honest?" 

"Because I'm not sure I'll like the response I'd get. I know it's not the most ethical thing in the world to do," the tall blond man continued, "but I'll make it up to you somehow...promise." 

Trish eyed him for a moment, mulling it over. She didn't like his plan, but when she really thought about it, it wasn't _that _bad a thing to do. Finally, she brightened, a smile coming to her face that went all the way up to her chocolate-brown eyes. "Okay...you've got yourself a deal...I'll do it." 

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**Part 3**

**Back**   
  
  
  
  



	3. Fire&IceThe Fine Line Between Love&Hate

  


* * *

_RAW, January 29, 2001___

Amy and Matt walked together to the backstage area after their mixed tag team match against Perry Saturn and Terri. The redheaded diva was a little tired, although she hadn't had to do too much against the She Devil, who had never been known for wrestling ability. 

Amy bid her pal goodbye when they reached the Hardys' locker room and then continued down the hall on her way to the women's locker room. 

As she pushed her way inside, her breath caught in her throat and her gut clenched at what she saw. Adam Copeland was in there, sitting on the small couch in one corner with Trish Stratus. The Canadian diva had a big smile on her face as the tall blond man gently placed his hand under her chin. They gazed into one another's eyes, Trish looking enamored, and Amy hated it. _What kind of a _pig _is this guy_? she thought. 

The redhead exhaled the breath she'd been holding and marched over to her locker, determined not to let this little display get to her. She tried to ignore the two Canadians as she gathered up some fresh clothing into which to change after her shower. But at the corner of her eye, she saw Trish suddenly run her hands over Adam's chisled bare chest. 

"Ooh, that feels nice..." 

Amy thought she might vomit at any moment. She felt disgusted and downright sick. What the _hell _was wrong with these two? And here, she'd thought Trish was her friend. 

As soon as _that _thought struck her, the redheaded diva wondered where it had come from - the little blonde didn't know about her one night with this man two and a half months ago. _Besides_, she told herself, _I despise Adam Copeland_. With her stuff in hand, she turned and headed for the shower. 

When Amy was gone, Adam and Trish instantly straightened up and moved away from each other. They stared in the direction of where the redhead had disappeared, then Adam turned to the blonde woman. 

"Did she look mad?" 

"Most definitely," Trish replied, keeping her voice low. "She didn't look at all _happy_." 

"Good," the tall Canadian replied, a smirk on his handsome face. 

Trish frowned. "I want you to know that I didn't enjoy doing that...Amy is my friend, you know." 

"Don't worry about it," he said confidently. 

* 

Later, Amy lugged her suitcase into the hotel. She was glad she was rooming alone because she _wanted _her solitude. She hadn't even rode back with Matt and Jeff but had caught a taxi. 

When she made her way down the hallway, she frowned at how deserted the place seemed. She knew that a lot of wrestlers liked to go out to clubs and bars after hours, but normally, there would be a couple of people lurking through the hotel halls. As she neared her room, her frown deepened. 

Standing beside the door to what was, coincidentally or not, her room, was Adam. The tall blond leaned casually against the wall beside it, his arms crossed over his chest as he smirked at her. 

Amy couldn't stand it. The man had this arrogant air about him, as if he _knew _how irresistible he was to women - well, _physically_, at least. He stared at her with that smug expression that made her want to punch him in the nose again - like she had _that _night. 

As she neared her room, she tried her best to simply ignore him, but he would have none of it. 

"Hey, _great _match tonight, by the way," the man said sarcastically. "It really takes a whole lot to wrestle Terri Runnels, huh?" 

Amy turned her head to glare at him. "Go away." 

Adam turned to fully face her, his arms still crossed. "No...why should I?" 

"Because I want you to leave me alone...and because if you _don't_, I'll be forced to kick your ass," she replied between clenched teeth. Her blood was suddenly pounding furiously as she stared at him like she wanted him dead. 

"Oh, yeah - I'm _so _terrified," the tall blond taunted with a laugh. "This from a woman who tonight couldn't even beat _Terri_!" 

The redhead closed her eyes for a moment, trying to compose herself, but she realized the effort was futile. She stood on her tiptoes, moving her face close to his, eyes widened in her anger. "Fuck you!" 

Adam snickered. "Hey, I might just take you up on that offer..." 

The diva scowled at him, then reached for her keycard in her pocket. "Dream on..." 

"Oh, but I _have _been dreaming about it...haven't you?" 

Thoroughly disgusted, Amy swiped her keycard through the door, pushed it open, entered and tried to close it in the Canadian's face. 

Adam shoved his way through the door, his greater strength winning over that of the redhead. He strode into the room, and Amy stared at him incredulously, her fury so intense she swore the man could probably see steam coming out of her ears. 

"What the hell do you want from me?! Get out!" she shouted, pointing toward the door. "Leave...me...alone!!!" 

"I said I would take you up on your offer," the blond said, presenting that huge grin of his that she'd come to despise. 

"I would think you'd rather do that with Trish," the redhead spat, narrowing her eyes. 

"Whatever gave you _that _idea?" 

Amy rolled her eyes. "Okay, that's _it_! I want you to get out of my room - and _leave me alone_ - stay away from me!" she yelled, edging ever closer to him as she gestured wildly with both hands. "You are _the _most annoying, infuriating, _impossible _man I have ever had the misfortune of meeting! _Stay away from me_!" 

"Come on, you don't really mean that," the blond man said innocently. "Besides, I can't be all that irritating...I'll bet you're just aching for me." 

"No! I'm not! Now, if you don't want me to report you to Vince for sexual harassment, you'll get out and never bother me again!" she threatened. 

"Now, now...we both know you're not going to do that, Amy..." 

The redhead's rage reaching a crescendo, she nearly growled as she flung out at the tall Canadian, striking him in the chest with small fists. "You are nothing but a pig!" she shouted. "Leave me alone!" 

Adam reached down to grab her wrists, but she managed to free one of her hands. Slapping him in the face, she shouted, "You're a player, and I _hate _players!" 

"On the contrary, lady...a player is the _last _thing I am," he replied calmly. He grabbed hold of her other wrist before she had a chance to slap him again, then twisted around so that she was the one with her back now against the door. 

"Get out! Get _out_!" 

Adam continued to watch her struggle in his grip, her face contorted with anger and effort, then he lowered his head to hers, kissing her into silence. 

Amy continued to flail against him, trying to free her hands from his, but he was too strong. He forced her arms up over her head against the door, his fingers twining with hers. 

_Oh, God_, she thought. Despite her anger and disdain for this man, she found herself melting and kissing him back. What the hell was it about him? 

When Adam finally brought his head up from hers after the lengthy kiss, they were both breathing heavily. Amy gazed at him with a pained expression. There was such an intensity about him - and between them. She stared up into his green eyes helplessly, wanting to shrink away or strike out at him again, but she did neither. God, the effect this man had on her... 

Adam kissed her again, his hands against her cheeks as he cupped her head and tipped it at a more suitable angle. His tongue felt hot and demanding as Amy parted her lips to allow it entrance. She was nearly breathless as the kiss deepened still, and she was nearly overwhelmed by the intensity of it. 

The tall blond moved his hands over either side of her body, running them down the swell of her hips and then down to her buttocks. He cupped and kneaded them gently at first, then firmly, eliciting a soft moan from Amy. _Oh, God_... 

While they continued kissing, Adam grasped one of her hands and placed it between his legs. She gasped into his mouth as she felt the heat of him, felt his need as he throbbed against her. To his complete surprise, she didn't even try to move her hand away. Instead, she rubbed him through the rough denim of his black jeans. He groaned with pleasure as he moved his lips from hers to her throat. 

After a couple of minutes, Adam thought he might go mad if this didn't continue a lot further. He lifted Amy up in his arms and carried her to the bed, sitting her on its edge. He quickly removed his shirt, then went for her jacket, which she still wore. The redhead beat him to the punch as she shrugged out of it and then lifted her shirt over her head. 

The tall blond man gazed her over for a brief moment, marveling at what a lovely sight she was in her black lace bra. He reached down to caress her breasts, afraid he might lose his mind if he didn't touch them. A soft moan escaped him as he stroked her. 

Amy lay back, and Adam fell beside her on the bed, his eyes locked with hers as he continued lavishing attention on her breasts. The redhead pulled him onto her, her fingers twining in his long hair as they kissed again. Seconds into the kiss, Amy's hands traveled down, and the blond man repositioned himself slightly when he realized what she had in mind. The diva unbuttoned and unzippered his jeans, and he reached down and yanked them off, tossing them over the side of the bed. He moaned as her hand was on him again, and he went for her pants as well. She lifted her hips off the bed to help him and then Adam reached down and touched her through the thin fabric of her black thong. She was soaking wet. He groaned with pleasure and removed Amy's thong as her own hands were pulling at his briefs. 

Once he was out of them, the Canadian lay on his back, reaching for the young woman. He pulled her onto him, and she instantly straddled him, lowering herself onto him. 

Adam sighed nearly with relief as he felt himself slipping inside of her. She was still very wet, which made it easier for her to ride him. _Oh, God..._ She moved very quickly, and for a moment, he was afraid of coming too quickly. But he soon realized he didn't have to worry, as the redhead came first, after only a few short minutes. 

"Oh, God...mmm...Adam!" she cried, arching her back on top of him. Her hazel eyes were shut, and the blond man let go as well, emptying himself into her. 

"Amy..." He reached up grasped one of her hands, squeezing it tightly, his eyes never wavering from her face. "Oh, God..." 

When it was over, Amy rolled off of him and slid over to the other side of the bed. Despite the sex they'd just had, she pulled the blanket up and covered herself. She looked almost shy, coy, as she glanced at Adam with her head slightly bowed. After several minutes, she turned over onto her right side, her back to him. 

The redhead shuddered as she thought about what they'd just done - again. And this time, she had been more aggressive and in control. She could have stopped it. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes as a horrible feeling overtook her. She wondered how many other divas Adam had been with - and felt a terrible emptiness inside. 

Adam lay on the other side of the bed on his back, watching her. He wondered what was going through her mind. She seemed to be avoiding him again - back to normal. He sighed and ran his fingers through his long blond hair as he slid under the blanket beside her. 

Without turning around, Amy spoke, her voice soft. "Would you please leave?" 

Adam stared at the back of her red head, slightly taken aback. After a beat, he rose from the bed. He didn't speak a word as he got dressed. He turned back to eye Amy but noted that she hadn't moved a muscle. 

He stepped into his boots and tied the laces, then headed for the door. As his hand touched the knob, he turned back one last time. "Goodnight, Ames." When he received no reply, he slowly, reluctantly turned back toward the door and quietly let himself out. 

  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**Part 4**

**Back**   
  
  
  
  



	4. Fire&IceThe Fine Line Between Love&Hate

  


* * *

_RAW, February 18, 2001_

Amy hadn't quite been feeling like herself for the last couple of weeks, ever since her second encounter with Adam. While she would normally be feeling fairly peppy and happy, she was beginning to feel quite the opposite. 

She didn't understand it. She had never meant for that second time to happen - not that she'd ever intended for the _first _encounter to, either. She and Adam just didn't like each other, never had. And Amy believed they never _would_. 

Despite all that, this terrible hollow feeling had stayed with the redhead ever since the last time. When she had asked Adam to leave, she had closed her eyes, hoping blessed sleep would enable her to escape the turmoil inside of her - but it hadn't. Not only had it taken her a long time to fall asleep that night, but once she _had _drifted off, she'd experienced dream after dream of the tall blond Canadian man. He had touched her as he had while she'd been awake - but he had berated her, cursed her, been downright cruel. Although she'd never had a fondness for him, it had hurt her badly when, in one of her dreams, Adam had issued to her the following monologue: "You are nothing but a good, quick fuck to me. You're a slut, and that's the way you should be treated. Why would any man ever want you, other than for a good lay?" 

Amy had awakened from that dream with tears on her face. Another dream that had her very upset involved Trish Stratus, the diva she had once considered a close friend. It was obvious that Adam really wanted _her_, and in one of the dreams, the tall blond fucked Trish right in front of her. That is, in this dream, Amy would be in another room somewhere and would hear sounds coming from the next - obvious sex noises - and for some odd reason, she would walk into that room to investigate, catching Adam and Trish rolling around on the floor in the _act_. But it wasn't that simple - Adam would actually look up to see her, but instead of giving a damn about the look of hurt in her eyes, he would just ignore her and continue banging away. 

She had to snap out of it. _Why _would anything or any_one _Adam Copeland did or didn't do bother her? Why _should _it? But for some strange reason, it suddenly did. It cut her to the quick that, after they had slept together twice, she was obviously nothing more than a toy to him, to be used for his own amusement, when he felt like playing. Damn it, she was _not _that type of girl - and she wouldn't be _anyone's _whore! 

Amy stood at a mirror in the women's locker room, examining her hair and makeup for her upcoming match against Dean Malenko. She was actually grateful for what would transpire during and after the match, hoping it would take her mind off of her troubles. 

She looked up, still facing the mirror when, a moment later, Trish entered the locker room, accompanied by Lillian Garcia. The two blondes, good friends, giggled, obviously engaged in a deep conversation. Amy discreetly kept her eye on Trish as the Canadian diva put her bag down on the floor in front of her locker. 

"Yeah, so Adam took me out again last night," she announced in a not-so-soft voice. 

"Oh, how nice!" Lillian said enthusiastically. "You're a lucky girl - he's _so _gorgeous..._very _dreamy." She smiled. 

Amy's ears perked, and she quickly shifted her eyes off of Trish and onto her own reflection when she suddenly noticed the little blonde looking over her shoulder at her. She again turned her attention to her hair, pushing strands into place. She knew Trish must be onto her, as she wasn't the best at subtlety. 

"You got _that _right, Lil," Trish said with a wink. "And oh...you should feel his pecs! I just _love _a man who's hard!" 

At this point, Amy's ears were practically burning. She bit her lip in an attempt to prevent herself from letting the petite blonde have it. 

Both Lillian and Trish laughed after a beat. "Oh, my God! I swear, I didn't mean it _that _way!" The Canadian raised a hand to her mouth as she giggled nearly uncontrollably. 

"Right..._sure_ you didn't mean it that way!" the ring announcer teased with a laugh. She reached over and playfully swatted her friend on the shoulder. "You are just_ too _much, girl! But I bet you'll be _getting _plenty." 

"Oh, yeah...I _plan _on that." 

Through the mirror, Amy saw Trish wink, and her rage built up so much that she suddenly realized what a pressure cooker must feel like. She _had _to get out of there. She couldn't take anymore of this garbage. Haphazardly tossing her eyeliner pencil on the vanity in front of which she stood, the redhead spun on her heel and fled the room. 

When she was gone, Trish and Lillian both stared toward the door. "God, she looked _really _annoyed," Lillian said. 

"You don't say," Trish replied, her smile disappearing and being replaced by a frown. "She's seemed so unhappy lately. I...I'm thinking of telling Adam I'm not going to do this anymore." She shook her head as the other blonde gently laid a hand on her shoulder. 

* 

Fifteen minutes later, Amy was standing just outside the door to Matt and Jeff Hardy's locker room, reflecting over what she'd just overheard in the women's locker room. She was still furious, but she felt even more _hurt_, and she felt as though she might cry at any moment. But she couldn't do that, or she would mess up her makeup, and she was on in a few minutes. 

"Ames? What's wrong?" The concerned voice of Jeff penetrated her thoughts. She'd been so consumed with everything that had just occurred that she hadn't even heard the door of their locker room open. She looked up into Jeff's kind, concerned face, his brilliant green eyes unwavering as he gazed down at her. Right behind him stood Matt. 

"Nothing...nothing," she replied, hating herself for lying to him. The truth was, she _wanted _to confide in Jeff - had wanted to for the last few weeks since she'd begun feeling this way, but she was afraid of Matt finding out. And although the darker Hardy was also one of her best friends, he was way too judgmental - too big brothery, and that was something she just didn't need right now. 

"Are you sure?" Jeff hooked a thumb underneath the redhead's chin, tipping her head up slightly so that her eyes met his. "You look sort of depressed." 

She gently but firmly pushed his hand away from her face. "I'm fine, Jeff." She glanced over at Matt, who was also studying her. 

"No, really...what's wrong?" the elder brother questioned. A slight look of suspicion crossed his handsome features. 

"_Nothing_!" she insisted, raising her voice angrily. "Come on...my match is in the next couple of minutes." 

The three of them walked toward the curtain leading to the arena without a word. They were silent until Matt decided to press the issue. 

"Ames, what's going on? Does this have something to do with a guy?" 

Amy bit her lip. These two men had always been able to see right through her. They knew her like a _book_, particularly Matt, whom, unlike his brother, had not a naive bone in his body. There was no way she could pull the wool over his eyes. 

"Matt, it's...it's nothing," the diva said, closing her eyes and pinching the bridge of her nose. Why couldn't he just leave well enough alone? 

"Bullshit! Something's going on, and I wanna know what it is...if some jerk has hurt you, I wanna know _who _it is so I can take him apart!" the dark-haired man insisted, his face angry, hands clenching into fists at his sides. 

"I said it's _nothing_! Now, I don't _care _if you believe me or not, but you're going to _leave me alone_, Matthew Hardy!" Amy shouted, not caring that Jeff was standing right there between the two of them, or that other people were walking through the hallway nearby. 

Matt pressed his lips together, holding his tongue. He knew better than to continue pushing the redhead. They'd been through something like this once before, and she had been so angry that she hadn't spoken to him for an entire month. He didn't want that to happen again. 

* 

Adam chuckled to himself as he watched the scene unfold backstage on the TV monitor in his and Jay's locker room. Lita defeated Dean Malenko with the help of Matt Hardy, who so obviously wanted to get into her pants. But he took pride in the fact that, unlike the darker Hardy Boy, he himself _had _gotten that opportunity twice. 

He sat up a little straighter as he witnessed the kiss the dark-haired man planted on the redhead's lips. Then, a moment later, when she followed Matt, who had left the ring and started up the ramp, she grabbed him and turned him around - kissing him even more fervently than he had kissed her. 

"What a skank!" 

Jay turned toward his best friend upon hearing the words he'd just uttered. "Hey, watch it, Adam!" he said with annoyance. "That's what she's _supposed _to do. And I don't think it makes her a skank." 

"Whatever, man," the taller blond said. "I'm out of here - I have better things to do with my time than look at _that_." He gestured toward the TV with disgust as he stood up, then walked out of the room. 

When he was out in the hallway, alone, Adam's facial expression changed. The truth was, although he hadn't enjoyed what he'd just witnessed, it wasn't for the reason Jay believed. He pushed his long hair back as he started down the hallway. Since he didn't have a match scheduled for the night, he decided to get out of there and head back to the hotel. He didn't feel much like sticking around. But before he left, he had one quick stop to make. 

* 

"Trish?" Adam stuck his head in the doorway of the women's locker room when Ivory had opened the door. The brunette stepped past him and said, "She's here..." 

The tall blond man stepped into the room, happily noting that his diva friend and fellow Canadian was now alone. "I need to talk to you." 

"What do you want, Adam?" Trish asked. He noted that she didn't look all that happy to see him. 

"I need you to do me one more favor tonight," he replied. "This is what we'll do-" 

"I'm not going to do it," the petite blonde said, interrupting him. As Adam stared at her in surprise and disappointment, she began to pace the length of the small room. "Not...not tonight. No more tonight, okay?" she said almost pleadingly. 

"What do you mean? Why not?" Adam questioned, moving closer to her. 

"I can't...Adam," Trish said firmly, stopping her pacing to look up into his green eyes, "I think you've gotten your answer...she's been so depressed lately, and I think your little game has gone too far. I can't keep contributing to her being hurt like that." The young woman winced and added, "She hasn't spoken two words to me tonight - and I think we both know why." 

Adam ran his hand quickly through his long blond hair. "But-" 

"No, Adam...maybe another time, when _I _don't feel so lousy myself...but I'm not going to do that to Amy anymore tonight." She looked toward the door, then shifted her brown eyes back on him. "I think you should leave," she said evenly. "Amy will probably be back here any minute, seeing as her match just ended." 

Adam nodded wordlessly, his eyes serious as he continued to stare at the blonde. A moment later, he left - just in time to avoid running into the redhead. 

* 

Amy sighed as she lay on her hotel room bed, the television set droning softly in the background. She just wanted to forget everything that had happened in the last three months, but she knew that wouldn't happen. 

She had thought that the storyline in which she and Matt had been involved tonight would distract her, but it hadn't. And then, much to her chagrin, when she'd gone after Matt to kiss him, when she had closed her eyes and done so, the man whom she was so desperate to forget had been on her mind - she had imagined it was Adam she was kissing - which was why she had gotten a little carried away with Matt and had used a little tongue. 

_Damn it_! she thought. Three months ago - even _two _months ago, she'd basically been fine. But then Adam Copeland had to get under her skin in a way he hadn't done before - and she had somehow managed to go and fall in love with him. 

She shuddered at the thought of that - her, Amy Dumas, in love with Adam Copeland. If she wasn't feeling so depressed, she would have laughed her ass off. She slid her left arm underneath the pillow upon which her head lay, clinging to it desperately, cursing herself for having been so vulnerable. 

Amy looked up a moment later when a knocking sounded at her door. She hoped the person would just go away, but they didn't. Instead, the knocking got even louder and more urgent. Rolling her eyes, she rose from the bed and answered it. 

Her breath initially caught in her throat as she saw Adam standing in the doorway, looking down at her with a serious expression on his face. As he continued to silently study her, his lips curled into an arrogant smirk. 

Amy rolled her eyes and turned around to go back into her room. Without shutting the door in the blond man's face for a change, she simply returned to the bed and lay back down on it. 

Adam stepped into the room, shutting the door behind him, then stood there and watched her. He was suddenly furious, as the image of her kissing Matt earlier that night ran through his memory. 

"You know what? You are _such _a skank...such a nasty skank!" 

The redhead raised her eyes in the man's direction. So, her bad dreams were actually becoming reality after all? She looked back down in a desperate attempt to drown out the sight of him - and the scorn in his voice, and any further cruelties he might hurl at her. 

"What's the matter? No quick comebacks this time?" Adam taunted as he moved closer to her bed. 

Amy suddenly sat up and stared at him. "Would you just leave me alone?" 

"No! Why should I? Why don't you just answer _this_ question - what kind of skank _are_ you?" His emerald eyes glittered angrily. 

The diva suddenly became enraged as she continued to listen to him, and at the look on his face. Who the fuck did he think he was? 

"I am _not _a skank!" she shouted, pointing at him. "I would think you would be an expert on knowing who _is _one, though - since you've been fucking Trish Stratus - I may not be a skank, but _she _certainly is!" 

The Canadian's face again transformed to an amused smirk as he listened to her angry tirade. He crossed his arms over his chest as he moved even closer to her. 

"_Why _are you here, Adam? What do you _want_ from me? What??? Is Trish not enough for you?" 

"Ah," he said, a genuine grin present on his handsome face for the first time since he'd entered her room, "_now _you're getting it! The skank's pretty perceptive, isn't she?" 

Amy suddenly flung herself at him, using all of her body weight, which, surprisingly, knocked them both to the floor. "I am _not_ a skank! Stop calling me that, you asshole!" Her face was furious as she punched him in the chest. "You bastard!" 

"Ow!" Adam exclaimed as she yanked on his long blond hair with one hand and continued to pummel at his chest with the other. He became shocked as the redhead abruptly burst into tears, her hands stopping their violence in the process. He'd never expected her to cry, and, knowing that he alone had caused it, felt rotten. 

"Ames?" He reached up and gently stroked her long red hair. She didn't respond and kept her face buried in her hands for a beat before letting her head fall down to his chest, and she continued to weep. 

The tall blond was acutely aware of the fact that the woman was actually straddling him, and whether he liked it or not given the situation, he found himself growing hard against her. Damn it, but he wanted her again. 

"Ames? Are you okay?" This time, his voice was tender as he gently lifted her head with one hand. Her tearstained face looked sadder than tragedy as she gazed down at him, her hazel eyes bloodshot. He felt like shit that he had caused her so much misery. "I'm sorry," he said softly, gently stroking her cheek. 

Amy continued to gaze down at him, her sobbing slowly abating. Then, to the blond man's surprise, she lowered her head down to his and began to kiss him. He kissed her back, wrapping his arms around her waist to draw her tightly against him. 

Adam found himself nearly breathless with the intensity of the kiss, and he throbbed against her, pressing almost painfully into the zipper of his jeans. Before he knew what was happening, they were undressing each other, and the diva lowered herself on him, riding him slowly at first and eliciting a sigh of relief from him. 

The TV continued to drone on softly as the blond Canadian gripped the redhead by the waist, quickening the pace. She cried out softly above him as she came, and he let out a moan as he let go inside of her. He pulled her down to him, seeking her lips as it seemed to go on and on. 

After a few minutes, they moved to the bed, and they lay there, side-by-side, for a good twenty or thirty minutes without a word. The next thing Adam knew, Amy was on him again, kissing him and touching him. He chuckled, knowing she wanted more, and he was more than happy to oblige. And this time, he stayed the entire night. 

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**Part 5**

**Back**   
  
  
  
  



	5. Fire&IceThe Fine Line Between Love&Hate

  


* * *

_RAW, March 19, 2001_

Amy turned her head sharply in the direction of the entryway upon hearing the mysterious female voice crooning seductively: "You think you know me..." She and the Hardys were supposed to look surprised, as the Dudley Boyz were _supposed _to be the tag team to come out to meet Matt and Jeff for a shot at the Tag Team titles. Although she knew Buh-Buh Ray and D-Von were not the ones slated to appear at this time, she was unable to take her eyes off the tall blond form of Adam as he and Jay suddenly appeared. 

Edge hadn't been on the television shows for a couple of weeks, after having been put through a table by the Dudleys. The tall Canadian held in a microphone in one hand, and he lifted it to speak. 

"Hey, Hardys! You look a little shocked to see Edge and Christian, but..." He chuckled a bit as he continued, "...I realize you're scheduled to face the Dudleys tonight, but you know what? They aren't here. They blew it! So, Hardys, if you've got the guts, why don't you put those championships on the line against us - _boyz_?" 

So, there it was - the challenge from the former tag team champions to the current title-holders, and the match got off to a fast and furious start. 

Amy tried her best to get into the match as she stood in Matt and Jeff's corner at ringside, and although it may have _looked _like she was genuinely happy to be there, she wasn't thrilled. She knew it looked as though she was going on just as she normally did, but her eyes were drawn to the tall blond man every time he was within her line of sight in the ring. She had to fight herself not to gaze at him whenever he was in his corner. 

She was relieved when her spot to act came up, for it meant this was going to end soon. The referee had been knocked out when the Hardy Boyz had set up Edge for the Poetry in Motion, but the tall blond had pulled the official in front of him, sparing himself. Christian was now stumbling around in the ring, and Amy climbed to the top turnbuckle, taking him down with a quick hurricanrana. 

As the redhead watched the man roll out of the ring, she managed to keep her back to the taller of the blond men, knowing that this was his spot. And then, she felt him grab her by the hair, quickly moving his hands around her jaw as he slammed her down with the Edge-o-matic. 

Amy winced as she felt an unpleasant jolt as her head hit the canvas - hard. She briefly saw stars behind her tightly squeezed shut eyes, then managed to roll out of the ring. 

It all came to an abrupt end as Rhyno slipped into the ring from the crowd, goring Jeff, who had just delivered a Swanton Bomb to Christian. Edge took the advantage by covering the Hardy Boy, and of course, the referee roused at this particular moment. E and C got the three count and the Tag Team titles along with it. 

Amy kneeled on the canvas with Matt to check on Jeff, holding her head as she watched the two blonds and the bulky Rhyno depart to the backstage area. Her eyes were instantly drawn to Adam, and she couldn't help but wonder if he realized he'd hurt her - and if he would _care _if he _did _know. 

* 

Amy held one hand to her head, wincing in pain as she and the Hardys returned backstage. 

"You all right?" Jeff asked, his warm green eyes filled with concern. 

"Yeah, I...ow!" she cried. In truth, her head hurt like a bitch, and she felt the beginnings of a pounding headache as a result. She only hoped it wouldn't turn out to be a migraine. Damn that Adam Copeland! She wondered how a man who could make love to her so tenderly could be so rough with her in the ring. 

She winced again as she stepped into the women's locker room, leaving the Hardys - but it was not from the pain in her head. It was as a result of the pain in her _heart_. The redhead honestly could not think of what she and the tall blond man did as "making love," for she knew he didn't love her. This knowledge stung worse than salt poured on a raw, open wound. However, likewise, she hadn't uttered a word to him about how she truly felt about him - and she wasn't planning on doing so, either. 

Amy felt a horrible emptiness in her heart. She considered herself as making love to Adam whenever they got together, but obviously, as she'd realized a month earlier, her nightmares had indeed come true. 

She stepped into a shower stall, silently bursting into tears as soon as the water was on. The hot spray sluiced over her skin, washing away her tears, but she knew she would have to find a way to conceal the redness and puffiness of her eyes later on. 

The diva reflected over the last month. Somehow, she and Adam had managed to keep their trysts - she couldn't call it a _relationship _- secret from the entire company. Since she tended to room alone at the hotels, _he_ usually came to _her_, but there were those odd times when _she_ would go to _his_ room. Jay often spent hours after shows at clubs or bars with Chris Jericho and Drew Martin, and that gave her and Adam the chance to do what they wanted in the room while he was away. 

Jay had almost caught her once as she had been sneaking down the hall back to her own hotel room. The blond had been returning to his room a little earlier than usual. Amy had nearly frozen when she'd seen him, afraid that he'd seen her leaving his room. And when he'd questioned her, she'd lamely said that she'd just come back from her friend Joanie Laurer's room - that they'd been strategizing their next match. Jay had raised an eyebrow at that, but he had bid her goodnight and continued down the hall to his room. 

When she finished with her shower, the redhead grabbed her bag and left the arena alone. She didn't bother waiting for Matt and Jeff, opting instead to walk back to the hotel. Fortunately, it was only a few blocks away. 

* 

Jeff Hardy stood almost uncertainly outside the door to Amy's hotel room. He raised his hand to knock, then paused, hearing the TV playing softly within. Making up his mind, he rapped gently. 

"Jeff..." Amy looked surprised to see him there, and the younger Hardy could swear he'd detected a quick flash of disappointment - as though perhaps she'd been expecting someone _else_. 

"Hi," he said, stepping into the room. As she turned to face him, the young man noticed that his friend looked unhappy - just as she had for the last couple of months now. 

"Ames, I...what's wrong?" He honestly hadn't wanted to push her, not only out of respect for her privacy, but he also didn't want her to snap at him or shut him out - like she'd done to Matt. 

"W-what do you mean, Jeff?" the diva asked as she backed up slightly until she was sitting on the edge of the bed. 

Jeff came to join her, sitting across from her at its foot. "I debated with myself about doing this," he admitted. "But damn it - you're my best friend, and you've seemed so upset lately...something's been bothering you, and when _you're _upset, _I'm _upset." 

Amy bit her lip, actually relieved that the young man had brought up this subject. For the last little while, she had wanted more than anything to talk to him. 

"I...oh, God, Jeff," she cried, bowing her head slightly. "I actually _wanted _to talk to you about this...last month, Matt was right when he guessed this all had to do with a guy..." 

The colorful-haired man's eyes widened just slightly, but he didn't interrupt. 

"It...it all started back in November. Adam-" 

"What?" Jeff questioned with surprise, his green eyes widening even more. "_Adam_??" 

Amy began to cry, unable to hold back any longer. "It started out as one night that never should have happened...but then it happened again in January, and then in February, the night the angle with Dean Malenko came to an end, and..." 

Jeff moved closer to her, holding the redhead in his arms and allowing her to sob against his chest. Amy clung to him, sniffling a bit as she plodded on. 

"...and...since the time in February, we've been...meeting each other almost every night...I..." 

"Oh, Ames," Jeff said as he stroked her long hair. He sure as hell wasn't going to judge her, but he was damned curious. "I don't understand...I thought you and Adam _hated _each other?" 

"We do - _did_," she replied, pulling back just enough to gaze up into his face. "But...as crazy as this sounds, I came to this realization about a month ago...I...I'm in _love _with him, Jeff!" 

Admitting those last few words caused a fresh batch of tears to spring to her eyes, and she sobbed on Jeff's shoulder. 

"Wow...does he know?" 

"No," Amy replied, looking back up at him with tearful hazel eyes. "And I'm not going to tell him! The thing that hurts the most is that...h-he's been so friendly with Trish Stratus for the last couple of months. I _know _there's something going on between them, even though Adam won't admit it to me! And it...it _tears me up _inside!" she cried, her face crumpling with a wince. 

Jeff's expression hardened, and the young woman noticed immediately. "Please, Jeff," she said pleadingly, "d-don't say anything to him about this." 

The young man rubbed a hand down her back, amazed at how well she'd read his thoughts and reaction. He'd just been considering marching to Adam Copeland's hotel room and taking him apart piece-by-piece - but for _her_ sake, he wouldn't do that. 

"And please - _please_...above all, don't breathe a word of any of this to Matt...I know he would end up doing something stupid. See, this is the only way, Jeff! The _only way..._I can be with the man I love." 

Jeff studied her sorrowful face for a long moment, his heart nearly breaking. She was so sad, and her confession was even worse. Finally, he nodded, solemnly promising that he would not say a word to anyone - he would keep this secret. He only hoped that Adam wasn't fool enough to realize just how special this woman was - and that she deserved to be loved and cherished by the man _she _loved. 

* 

Adam slipped stealthily out of his hotel room a little after one, when he realized that Jay was finally asleep. His best friend had opted not to go out with Chris and Drew tonight, as he didn't feel all that well, claiming he might be coming down with a cold. Adam had lay on his bed in the dark, listening to a CD on his Discman with headphones as he'd waited for the other man to fall asleep. He'd shut off the CD and removed the phones, listening quietly, noting Jay's steady, regular breathing. A moment later, his belief that his friend was indeed asleep was confirmed when he'd begun to snore. 

Now, he stood right outside the door to Amy's room, glancing around quickly so as to be sure no one was around to see him. He gently rapped on the door with his knuckles. "Ames!" he called in a loud whisper. 

She didn't respond. After a moment, he knocked louder, and that was when he heard her moving around inside the room. He grinned as the door was suddenly opened. 

His smile disappeared as he took in the sight of the lovely redhead. She looked very unhappy, her eyes barely open as she looked out at him. Her hair was a mess, and it was quite evident that she'd been sleeping. And, if he didn't know better, he could swear she'd been crying as well. 

He slipped into the room and she wordlessly closed and locked the door before turning to face him. "I'm sorry I took so long," he said softly. "Jay stayed in tonight, and I had to wait for him to fall asleep..." He frowned as he continued to eye her through the darkness of the room. The only illumination came from the window, as the drapes were slightly open, light from the street lamp outside spilling in. She seemed to be in pain as she supported herself with one hand against the back of the desk chair. 

"Baby...what is it?" He reached out for her, touching her arm. 

"I have the most awful migraine," she said softly, her eyes slitted. She lifted a hand to her head. 

A quick and nasty crack ran through Adam's mind: _"Does this mean we're not doing it tonight?" _but he held his tongue against verbalizing it. Seeing how miserable she obviously was, it was clearly not the time to be making crude jokes. 

"Did you take anything for it?" he asked, drawing her over to sit down on the edge of the bed. He put his arm around her shoulders, gently stroking her. 

"Yes...after your match earlier tonight. I've had it since the match." She rubbed a hand wearily over her face. 

"You mean the whole time you were out there tonight, you had a migraine?" 

"No," Amy replied, her hand still pressed against her head. "It came later on, when our spot came up." 

"Oh..." The tall blond stared at her, feeling a twinge of guilt knowing that she was apparently in such agony because of _him_. In fact, he downright felt like shit. "...I'm so sorry, Amy." He moved his face closer to hers, nuzzling her gently, but she didn't reply. She felt too lousy to do so, anyway. 

Adam gently lifted her in his arms, almost cradling her a bit. After a moment, he began gently lowering her to the bed. "Why don't you go back to sleep, honey?" 

The diva turned onto her side, facing him, curling up under the blanket. She lifted her right hand to shield her eyes, desperate to fall asleep. Maybe she'd wake up the next morning with this damn thing gone. 

The Canadian man stayed seated there on the bedside for a moment, then moved over to sit on the desk chair nearby. He had no intention of leaving her in this condition. 

As he watched her, it seemed the redhead was asleep moments later, but she suddenly bolted up out of the bed. Quick as a flash, she raced past him, and he went after her. "Ames?" 

She made it to the bathroom just in the nick of time, flipping the light on and then bending over in front of the toilet. In a hurry, she lifted its seat and purged herself of everything she'd eaten a couple of hours earlier. 

Adam stood behind her, gently stroking her back and long hair as she continued vomiting. It tore at his heart to see her feeling so sick, and he blamed himself for it. 

When she was done, Amy flushed the commode, then grabbed a piece of toilet paper and wiped her mouth. If she hadn't been feeling so horrible, she would have been embarrassed that the blond man had witnessed her at her worst. "Oh, God..." 

Adam put his arm around her, his handsome face full of concern. He didn't speak a word as he led her to the sink, turning the cold water on. He put his hands under the faucet and turned to her, gently wetting her face. He gazed at her tenderly as she allowed him to continue doing this. 

He quickly retrieved one of the towels on the rack behind them, then gently rubbed her dry. Afterward, he turned back to the sink and pulled up a plastic cup situated on one side, pouring her some water to drink. 

The woman gratefully took a few long sips of the cool water, her eyes closed. When she was done, she walked past him and returned to the bed. A moment later, she watched Adam as he came over with something white in his hands. She closed her eyes as she felt the coolness of the damp washcloth he placed across her forehead. Before too long, she drifted off to sleep. Her last thought before entering that blessed state was a feeling of pleasant surprise that the blond man actually had a sweet side to him. 

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**Part 6**

**Back**   
  
  
  
  



	6. Fire&IceThe Fine Line Between Love&Hate

  


* * *

Amy opened her eyes at the first dim rays of the morning light. She rubbed at her face as she stared up at the ceiling, relieved that no noticeable traces of her migraine lingered. She yawned sleepily, not wanting to wake up, especially since she knew it had to be no later than seven. 

The redhead turned around onto her right side and initially froze in shock. She stared at the vision before her for a beat, her breath caught in her throat. 

Adam was sitting on the desk chair across from the bed, his long legs sprawled out before him, head tilted to one side, chin brushing against his shoulder as he slept. Apparently, he had stayed with her during her entire night of misery. 

She rose from the bed, hardly able to believe the tall blond man had opted to stay rather than leave in the middle of the night. Lord knew, he couldn't be comfortable in that chair, in that position. Amy grabbed the one of the blankets off the bed and went over to him, swathing it over him. She smiled down at him gently, touched by his kindness. She wanted to reach out and caress his long hair, but, not wanting to waken him, she restrained herself. 

The diva returned to her bed and curled up on her side, facing the blond man, and a gentle smile took form on her face. She watched him for awhile, feeling safe and secure. Pretty soon, she felt herself drifting back to sleep. 

* 

Adam roused and opened his eyes, and he felt confused for a moment. As his head cleared, he suddenly remembered where he was - in Amy's hotel room. She had had a horrible migraine the night before, and had gotten sick. He had tended to her, and he'd fallen asleep while watching over her as she slept. 

He glanced down at himself, surprised to see there was a blanket wrapped around him. His eyes shifted to the woman in the bed, who lay facing him and was sound asleep. He realized that at sometime during the long night and morning, she had gotten up and had put the blanket over him. 

Adam rose from the uncomfortable chair, running a hand through his mussed hair. He moved that hand to the back of his neck, which felt incredibly stiff after using his makeshift bed for so many hours. He let out a soft, nearly inaudible groan as he picked the blanket up from the floor and placed it on the chair. Then, checking the time on his watch, Adam decided he was going to head back to his own hotel room. 

He gazed over at the redhead once more, wanting to be sure she was okay before he left. She seemed to be sleeping so peacefully, and he was glad. She'd been in such agony the previous night, and he'd hated seeing her like that. He didn't ever want to see her so miserable again. 

Satisfied that Amy was all right, Adam turned around and tiptoed quietly to the door. Turning the knob, he turned back to glance over his shoulder at the diva one last time before stepping out into the hall. 

The tall Canadian tried to make as little noise as possible as he swiped the keycard in the door to his room. He winced a little as he pushed the door open, as it creaked a bit. But as he stepped into the room, he stared in shock at Jay. 

Despite the fact that it wasn't even seven-thirty in the morning, his best friend was already awake and had showered and dressed. Adam cursed himself mentally for not having planned on this - Jay was the type of person who normally didn't need any more than about five hours of sleep. And because he'd stayed in the night before and had fallen asleep around one, of _course _he would be awake this early. 

"Hey," Jay said as he regarded Adam. "Where _were_ you?" 

The taller blond had to think fast and furiously. "I was...err...downstairs in the cafe - getting a cup of coffee." 

"Really? In the same clothes you were wearing last night?" 

Adam quickly glanced down at himself. He hadn't even thought of that fact. _Damn_, he thought. Aloud, he said, "Well...I..." He ran a quick hand through his long blond hair. 

Jay grinned at him. "Hey, I getit, Adam, I _get _it...you were with Trish, weren't you?" 

"What?" He stared at his best friend for a beat, then nodded. "Yeah...you got me." He walked past Jay and headed to the bathroom. 

Adam turned the water on in the shower, pushing the curtain closed as he began stripping off his clothes. He exhaled a sigh of relief, thankful that his friend hadn't figured out where he'd _really _been. 

* 

That night, after the SmackDown taping, Amy watched the six-man tag team match involving Edge, Christian and Rhyno against the Dudley Boyz and Spike Dudley. An intense feeling swept through her as she gazed at Adam on the screen. All day and all night, she had been unable to stop thinking of how sweet he'd been the night before. 

When the match was over, she was grateful that none of the other divas was currently in the locker room with her. She had something in mind, and she wanted to be discreet about it. After waiting several minutes, she left the room and set out down the hall. She glanced around furtively as she walked, then stopped in front of a locker room, listening for sounds of voices within. 

The redhead lifted a hand and knocked twice, paused and then knocked once more. She whipped her head around, again making sure no one was around to see her. At the same instant, the door was opened and Adam quickly ushered her inside. 

"Get in here..." The tall blond man closed and locked the door behind her before turning to face her. "Hi..." 

Instead of replying, Amy moved toward him, pulling his head down to hers in a passionate kiss. 

Adam kissed her back willingly, his hands sliding down to her waist. He was surprised, as she'd never been like this with him before. When they parted, he gazed down at her with an almost questioning expression in his green eyes. 

"Amy?" 

Smiling sweetly up at him, the diva said, "I just wanted to thank you for last night. It was really sweet of you to take care of me." 

The Canadian shrugged. "Well, I couldn't leave you the way you were..." 

She glanced around the confines of the small locker room and then met his eyes again. "Where's Jay?" 

"Taking a shower...he left just before you got here." He was about to ask her why she was asking when Amy suddenly raised the fluorescent yellow mesh shirt over her head. He gazed her over in her black lace bra longingly, a smile of appreciation beginning to form on his handsome face. He edged closer to her again, running his hand down her hips as they kissed again. 

She pressed up tightly against him as she slid her tongue deep into his hot mouth, his hands roaming over her. He slid his hands to her stomach, lowering them slightly to undo her pants. She stepped out of them as they dropped, sighing as their kiss deepened. 

Adam let out a soft moan as he felt her hand slide down to cup him through his green wrestling tights. She was driving him nuts. After a moment, he lifted her up in his arms, her legs instantly wrapping around his waist, and he moaned even louder when her groin came into contact with his. He carried her to the brown leather couch halfway across the room, laying her on her back. 

As they continued kissing and nipping gently at each other, Adam reached down and yanked off her thong, tossing it away. After, he turned his attention to her bra, pulling at it roughly before he'd even undone the hooks in the back. She raised her back up slightly so as to help him, and he quickly undid the lingerie and let it fall from his hand to the floor. 

The redhead pulled him slightly on top of her, reaching down for the waistband of his tights, wanting desperately for him to be out of them. He helped her by raising himself up just enough to lower them, and then he lowered his head to her breasts, placing kisses over them. He flicked his tongue gently, then firmly on one nipple, eliciting a moan from her. 

Amy gazed up at the blond man with an almost pained expression on her face, and he lowered his hand between her parted legs and rubbed at her, smiling at how wet she was. Then, remembering that his tag team partner would be back as soon as he finished with his shower, Adam spread her legs a bit further, pushed forward and then filled her completely. He pumped gently at first, but quickly increased his speed. 

"O-oh..." Amy cried softly, throwing her head back as she came. It didn't take long, given the fact that she'd been aching for him all day long. He quickly followed suit, biting his lip to prevent himself from moaning loudly - lest people out in the hallway who might have been passing by hear him and realize what was happening inside his locker room. 

Afterward, as they were both still breathing heavily, Adam found Amy's lips and kissed her tenderly. He gazed deep and long into her hazel eyes, a feeling of great awareness coming over him. After a moment, he rested his head on her breasts as he tried to catch his breath. They lay there like that for several minutes. 

They both suddenly raised their heads to stare toward the door when they heard the knock, followed by Jay's voice. 

"Hey, Adam! You locked the door!" 

Adam and Amy exchanged frantic glances, and the tall blond quickly stood up, the diva doing the same. 

"Yeah, just a minute!" Adam called, running his hand quickly through his long hair. He gestured to the redhead, pointing down at the various articles of her clothing. She took the cue and began to pick them up, quickly dressing. 

"Come on, hurry up!" Jay called from out in the hall. "I'm only wearing a towel out here!" 

Adam quickly slipped his wrestling tights back on, glancing quickly over at Amy, who was just zipping up her cargo pants. He gestured for her to hide behind the couch, relieved that it wasn't pushed up against the wall. 

The woman obeyed, quickly kneeling down behind it as quietly as she could manage. The blond man pressed a finger against his lips, then turned to let his best friend into the room. 

"Jeez, Adam," Jay muttered as he sauntered into the room. "What took you so long? What the heck were you doing in here with the door locked?" 

As the shorter man walked past him, Adam glanced quickly in the direction of where Amy crouched hidden. _If you only knew_, he thought. Fear coursed through him suddenly when Jay sat down on the couch to rummage through his duffel bag for clothing. 

As Jay began to get dressed, Adam crept closer to one side of the couch and glanced down at Amy, who looked back up at him, her eyes wide. Gesturing with a wave of one hand, he mouthed, _Get out of here_! 

The redhead looked uncertainly at him but realized now was her chance - and it might be her _only _chance. She got up and crept stealthily toward the door, pulling at the knob as silently as she could manage. 

"What's that noise?" Jay asked as he continued buttoning his shirt. 

Although alarmed, Adam acted quickly. "Hey, Jay, I want to show you something." He went forward and grabbed his bag from his locker, which was in front of where his best friend stood. 

While the taller of the two men distracted the other, Amy slipped out into the hall, closing the door behind her as quietly as she could manage. From there, she practically ran down the hall back to her own locker room. Only when she was back inside did she let out a sigh of relief. 

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**Part 7**

**Back**   
  
  
  
  



	7. Fire&IceThe Fine Line Between Love&Hate

  


* * *

_WrestleMania X-7, April 1, 2001_

Amy strode down the hallway of the arena in search of Jeff Hardy, a small smile on her face. She couldn't contain herself, as she'd been so happy for the last couple of weeks. Although no one but her rainbow-haired friend knew about her and Adam, things had been going great in her personal life - the blond had been so sweet to her during the last two weeks, and things seemed to be good between them. It seemed there was no longer that animosity between them that had always existed. 

Amy hummed a tune as she ducked her head into the open locker room the Hardys were sharing for the evening. Matt was inside, sitting on a chair and lacing up his wrestling boots in preparation for the big TLC - tables, ladders and chairs - championship match he and Jeff would be having against Edge and Christian and the Dudley Boyz a bit later. 

The redhead bit her lip, her guard going up a bit as she noticed the dark-haired man was alone in the room. Although things were going well, Matt still didn't know a thing about her relationship - she finally decided she could _call _it that - and she wasn't sure she _wanted _him to. She stood there debating whether or not she should ask him where his brother was when Matt suddenly looked up. 

"Hey, Ames." 

Amy flinched a little, slightly taken aback that he had looked up to notice her. "Hi, Matt..." She held her breath, glanced down quickly and then spoke again before the man could question her. "I was looking for Jeff. Do you...do you know where he went?" 

"Yeah," he replied as he studied her, "he went to get some eats at the buffet." 

"Thanks, Matt..." She turned around to leave, but the sound of her friend's voice stopped her. 

"Is something wrong?" 

"What? No...everything's great." She smiled brightly as if to prove herself. 

"Good," Matt said. "But just remember, if anything _is _wrong, I'm here for you." 

Amy nodded at him. "I know," she said, then turned to find Jeff. 

She started down the hallway on her way to the buffet and made it within a few more steps of the room when she suddenly noticed her friend coming toward her. "Jeff! I was just looking for you...I need to talk to you." 

"Well, sure, Ames," he said as he neared her. He reached out to put his arm around her waist as they walked a little further. 

The redhead glanced quickly around the area to make sure they wouldn't be overheard. "I've been so happy the last couple of weeks," she revealed in a soft voice. "I just wanted to let you know that - so you don't have to worry about me anymore." She smiled as she met his kind eyes. 

"You mean things are going well between you and Adam now?" he whispered as he stared into her face with surprise. 

"Yes...things are great," she whispered. 

"That's fantastic, Ames," Jeff said with a smile of his own. He was genuinely happy for his friend and wrapped his arms around her in a hug. 

Amy hugged him back, and while she still held fast to him, she moved her lips close to his ear. "Just please...don't mention anything about us to Matt." 

"Okay...I won't." 

"You're the best, Jeff." The diva placed a kiss on his cheek, near the same ear into which she'd just whispered. 

* 

Amy stood just behind the curtain by the stage, her eyes glued to a TV monitor as she awaited her cue to go out. Followed by Rhyno and Spike Dudley, who were attempting to aid their respective teams, she would be running out to give the Hardy Boyz a hand. 

"Oh, no..." She winced as she watched Buh-Buh Ray Dudley slam Edge down, D'Von perched on the top turnbuckle. And then she winced even more, one hand to her head as the Dudley Boy came crashing down, head-first into the most sensitive area on the body of the man she'd finally begun to think of as her boyfriend. "...poor Adam..." 

She continued to watch the fracas of the TLC match for another five minutes until she got her cue. She ran down the entryway to the ring, quickly surveying the scene. 

At the moment, Edge was climbing up a ladder upon which Rhyno had placed him after getting involved. Moments before that, Spike Dudley had run out and attacked both Edge and Christian with his Dudley Dog, landing the shorter blond man into a table on the outside of the ring. 

The redhead rushed into the ring and grabbed the taller blond by the back of his purple tights, pulling him off the ladder. Then, she smashed him head-first into the ladder, trying her best to do it as gently as she could manage. 

Amy stood over Adam's fallen form for a beat, checking to make sure she hadn't hurt him when she was suddenly hauled up off her feet and held high above the head of the Man Beast. She landed safely on her feet as Spike came up from behind the big man and crotched him with a forearm. 

Edge had begun to re-climb the ladder she'd yanked him off of, but Spike came back to hit Rhyno in the head with a steel chair. The large bulky man stumbled - right into the ladder, knocking it over, the Canadian along with it. The end result was Edge briefly tangled up in the top rope before landing in a heap on his back on the canvas. 

Now on the outside of the ring, Amy watched Adam with concern in her hazel eyes. She wondered how badly banged up he would be by the time this match ended. She told herself she would have to make good and sure that she gave him a little TLC of a different kind later that night. 

As she stood back, the Dudleys got back into the action by grabbing Rhyno and superplexing him from the top turnbuckle. That was Amy's last cue to act in the match. She slipped back in under the bottom rope, a chair in hand. Running up behind the tiny Spike, she swung the chair and struck him in the head with it, stripping off her pink fishnet top as she yelled down at him afterward. 

In all truth, the diva realized she'd hit the small man a little harder than she should have - and she did so because of the mishap he'd caused between Rhyno and Edge. And then she turned around - right into a 3D. 

Adam, who had risen back to his feet, watched as the Dudleys 3D'd Amy, and he felt a twinge of anger. It seemed they could have taken her down more gently than they had. He grabbed a chair and swung it into D'Von's back - hard - feeling a measure of satisfaction course through him as the man fell to the canvas. A second later, he hoped Jay had hit Buh-Buh Ray equally as hard when _he_ hit _him_. 

The blond man knew it was unprofessional of him to strike at an opponent with anger, but damn it, he couldn't help it. What if they'd _hurt _her? He'd noticed Amy holding one shoulder as she rolled out of the ring. He glanced one last time at the young woman, who was now lying in a heap outside the ring. He swallowed hard, hoping that she was okay. 

* 

"You sure you don't want to come with us, Ames?" Matt asked the redhead later on. Despite the fact that he, Jeff and Jay had been banged up like mad during their match, they had plans to go out to a popular area club with Chris Jericho. 

Amy put down her now empty cup of coffee. They were in the hotel's cafe downstairs, eating a light snack. "Yeah, I'm sure," she replied, rubbing at her shoulder for emphasis. "Not tonight..." 

"You and Adam are such party poopers," Jay complained. The blond man chuckled a bit before continuing. "He's being a big baby, saying he's too sore after the match to do anything." 

"Oh...oh well," Amy said, shrugging disinterestedly. She rose from the table. 

"Hey, is your shoulder okay?" Matt asked. 

"Yeah...it's just a little achy, that's all. I'm just going to soak in a nice, hot tub tonight." 

"Okay, well, if you change your mind...we're not leaving for another half-hour or so," the darker Hardy brother said. 

Amy quickly swung her eyes Jeff's way, and she could tell the young man knew what she _really_ had in mind. "Leave her alone, Matt," he said. "If she's too tired, she's too tired." 

* 

Adam glanced at his watch for what had to have been the hundredth time in the last half-hour, ever since Jay had left. He ran his hand through his long blond locks as he flipped the channels on the TV, wondering what was taking Amy so long. He had called her cell phone and quietly talked to her while Jay had been in the shower after the TLC match, and she'd said she would go to him tonight. But where _was_ she? 

He flipped the television off and dropped the remote on his bed as he stood up. If she wasn't coming to him, _he _would go to _her_. Although the diva had told him she wasn't hurt or anything, maybe she'd been lying to save face. He knew her reputation of being exceptionally brave, and maybe this time it was only a facade. 

The tall blond Canadian man felt the concern sweep through him as he made his way over to the door. As he turned the knob and swung it open, he was surprised to see Amy standing out there, her arm up. She had apparently just been about to knock. He let his eyes scan her over from head-to-toe. She was wearing a black silk robe, which was belted securely around her slender waist. 

"Hi...I was just about to go to your room..." 

"Sorry I didn't get here sooner," the redhead said as she stepped inside. She turned to face Adam as he closed and locked the door. "I was taking a bath for the last half-hour." 

"Mmm," the blond said as he moved closer to her, wrapping his arms around her waist. "That sounds good to me...why didn't you wait? We could've taken one together..." He lowered his head and placed his lips on hers, and she tightened her arms around his neck as they kissed passionately. 

After a moment, Amy pulled back slightly to gaze up into his emerald eyes. "Are you okay? I saw that headbutt you took from D'Von earlier tonight...are you...?" 

Adam chuckled softly as he hugged her again, resting his chin against the top of her head. He pulled her more tautly against him as he kissed her again, and this time it was even more intense. The redhead found herself nearly overwhelmed as she parted her lips even more for his tongue to penetrate her mouth more fully. She gasped as she felt him harden, throbbing against her. 

Afterward, the tall blond smiled mischievously, one of his hands gently tangled in her hair. "Does that answer your question?" 

Amy laughed as he suddenly swept her up into his arms and carried her to the bed farther in the room. He laid her gently on her back before turning his attention to her robe, toying with the belted sash around her waist. 

"Hmm...now what do we have here?" Adam asked with amusement as he undid the sash. His green eyes raked over her body appreciatively as he took in the sexy black baby doll she was wearing underneath the robe. He quickly removed the robe altogether, then lowered his head to nuzzle at her right breast, which he bared by pulling the lingerie slightly down. 

"Oh, God..." Amy sighed as she stroked his soft hair with one hand. She pulled his head more closely against her chest as his tongue and teeth began to get a little more demanding. 

After a few minutes, she sat up and helped Adam out of his T-shirt, jeans and briefs. She gestured for him to lay beside her, and that was when she made her move and did the thing she'd been daydreaming of doing ever since that spot in the TLC match. 

Amy kneeled over the blond man and lowered her mouth on him, taking in his full length, which caused him to gasp. She made sure to be gentle, for, even though he claimed not to have been hurt by that Dudley headbutt, she knew he must have felt _some _pain. 

"Oh, God..." Adam whispered. He reached down to gently tangle one hand in her long red hair, savoring the feeling of her lips and tongue on him. "That feels _so _good." 

Before too long, he could hardly stand it. The tall blond man whispered, "Come here..." When she did, he took the baby doll off of her, allowing his eyes to drink in her beautiful form before he laid her on her back again. As she gazed up at him, their eyes meeting, he entered her, smiling at how wet and ready she was for him. Her arms went up around his neck, drawing him down to her, and they kissed passionately as he began thrusting into her. 

They'd been making love for several minutes, Amy quite close to orgasm, both of them moaning and breathing heavily when something suddenly startled them. 

"Oh, God! Adam, I'm sorry!" 

They both whipped their heads in the direction of the doorway, shocked to see Jay standing there. The man was just beginning to turn around when he suddenly gave a double-take, turning back in shock. "Amy???!" 

The redhead frantically hid herself under the blanket, which Adam had grabbed and thrown over them. She felt her face burning with embarrassment, unable to believe that Jay had just caught them having sex. She wished the bed would open up and swallow her. She peeked at the blond man, the blanket covering her from her nose down. 

"Jeez, Jay! What the hell are you doing back so soon?!" Adam shouted as he too stayed hidden underneath the blanket. 

"I...I decided not to go after all," Jay explained, the surprise of this almost too unbelievable to swallow. "I had Chris drop me off a few blocks away and walked back..." 

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**Part 8**

**Back**   
  
  
  
  



	8. Fire&IceThe Fine Line Between Love&Hate

  


* * *

Adam was pretty annoyed as he'd ordered Jay to go into the bathroom or step out for a few minutes so he and Amy could get dressed. He'd slipped into the sweatpants he'd been wearing to bed while the redhead had thrown her robe back on. 

Now, he stood up and paced a little before Jay's bed, running his hand through his long blond hair. Amy was already gone, as she had fled the room, mortified, once she'd belted her robe securely. The taller of the two Canadians had called her back upon the realization that she'd forgotten her baby doll, but she hadn't turned back. Adam had picked up the lingerie and stuffed it into his bag to give it back to her later. 

"I don't believe this! I would think it was an April Fool's joke, but I saw it with my own two eyes. You and..._Amy_?" 

Adam sighed, again raking a hand through his hair. "Let me explain, Jay..." 

The shorter man eyed him expectantly, the shock still clearly visible on his face. He sat down wordlessly on the edge of his bed as he waited for his best friend to talk. 

"This has been going on for about five months now," the tall blond began. "It just sort of...happened. And then, we started getting together more often, and-" 

"You mean you've been doing it with Trish _and _Amy??" Jay interrupted. 

"What? _No_!" Adam cried. "It's never been Trish!" 

"Then why'd you-" Jay cut his own words off, suddenly coming to a realization. "So, a couple of weeks back, when you had the locker room door locked...?" 

"Yes, Jay...yes, Amy was in there with me," he admitted. "Listen, you have to promise me you won't tell anyone about us." 

"Don't worry, Adam...I won't." He thought silently a moment, then spoke again. "I can't believe it...you two always hated each other!" 

"Well, we don't anymore." 

"Obviously...am I the only one who knows about this?" 

Adam shook his head. "Actually, no...she told me she told Jeff a couple of weeks ago. So, now the _two_ of you know. And above all else, Jay - Amy doesn't want Matt to know." 

"No problem...my lips are sealed." He made a gesture of finger to lips. After a beat, he said, "Man, I'm so sorry I walked in on you guys." 

The taller man turned back to his best friend. "While we're on the subject, why _did _you come back here so soon? You never told me..." 

"Oh, I just realized I was a little more sore than I thought after our match earlier. I don't know how those Hardys do it. Matt even needed those stitches to the head, and he _still _insisted on hanging out," Jay replied. 

"Damn," Adam said. "Amy and I never even finished..." 

"Oh, jeez...again, I'm sorry," Jay interjected. "I should go apologize to her." 

"Don't do it right now...I'm going to her." The tall man strode over to reach into his bag, pulling out Amy's lingerie, then went to the door and quickly left to go to her room. 

* 

Amy was still feeling humiliated as she sat up on her hotel room bed. It had all been so surreal - her and Adam making love one minute, and then the sound of Jay's voice the next. She had never felt so embarrassed in all her life. She had even left her baby doll and thong on the floor by Adam's bed, but she hadn't cared. All she'd wanted to do was flee. 

She looked up at the sound of soft knocking on the door, biting her lip as she prayed it wasn't Jay. She felt she could live without an apology from him just yet. But then she heard the familiar voice, and she jumped up to let Adam in. 

"Hey...are you okay?" he questioned, reaching out to caress her hair as his emerald eyes gazed into hers with concern. 

"Yes," the redhead replied, meeting his eyes. "I'm just feeling..._so _humiliated!" She turned around and sat down on the bed, stretching out onto it so that she was laying down on her back. Staring up at the ceiling, she said, "Oh, God, Adam...I have never been so embarrassed!" 

The blond man came over to sit beside her on the bed. Reaching out with one hand, he caressed her cheek gently, lovingly. "Oh...you left these." He raised his other hand and placed her lingerie on the pillow beside her head. 

"Thanks." 

Adam sat silently for a moment, thoughful as he continued to gaze down at her. "Well, I just had a thought...I don't know what you'll think about it, but...what if we let everyone know about us?" 

Amy shifted her eyes to his face with surprise. Had she heard him correctly? In the five months they'd been together, they had pretty much had an unspoken "rule" about keeping their relationship a secret. Just the fact that he'd thought of going public about the two of them warmed her heart and made her love him even more - but she didn't want Matt to know a thing. She knew the elder Hardy boy too well, and she knew without a shadow of a doubt that he would get all big brothery and judgmental. She knew he would definitely jump on her for the way she and Adam had started. Not to mention that he might even jump on Adam - _literally_. She could definitely see Matt beating him up, at least for the way things had started between them. 

She reached up and gently placed one hand on his cheek, smiling a little as she gazed deeply into his beautiful eyes. "You're so sweet," she said softly. "You're really serious...you _want _everyone to know about us..." 

"Well, yeah," he replied in a low tone. "Besides, it would eliminate a lot of complications for us." 

The redhead bit her lip gently as she continued staring adoringly up into his face. "How about this? We just go on like we've been for now, and just leave it at Jeff and Jay as the only ones who know about us...I...I _really _don't want to have to deal with Matt - because I _know_ how he's going to act - and _react_." 

"Okay...if that's how you want it, baby...that's the way it'll be," Adam replied, leaning his head down to hers. He kissed her intensely, passionately, and she responded with everything she had inside, her arms raising to encircle his neck. 

After a moment, Adam pulled back and lifted her up in his arms, cradling her against him as he carried her to the bed. She laughed softly when he laid her on her back. "Good thing you decided to come so we could finish what we started before we were interrupted..." 

"That was exactly what I had in mind," the tall blond said softly, a gentle smile playing at his lips as he lowered his head to hers to kiss her again. 

* 

Amy stirred and opened her eyes slowly, reluctantly. She didn't want to wake up just yet and reached for the blanket to cover up her head. That was when she realized she wasn't alone in the bed. 

A solid, warm and by now very familiar body was pressed up against hers - Adam. She'd been so groggy upon awakening that she'd initially forgotten he had stayed with her all night. 

The redhead turned around onto her right side to examine him. The blond man appeared to be sound asleep, his lips slightly parted, his breathing deep and regular. His long hair was slightly fanned out on the pillow, and his eyes moved slightly under their closed lids - evidently, he was in the midst of a dream. 

Amy bit her lip as a mischievous thought came to her. She grabbed the edge of the blanket and peered at his beautifully sculpted nude body beneath. Her breath caught in her throat as she saw that he was hard. 

Smiling gently, the young woman snuggled closer to the man she loved, slowly reaching down with her left hand to grasp him. She didn't really want to wake him up - he looked so peaceful - but she wanted to please him, and she wanted to surprise him, wake him up in a way he would love. 

Adam stirred a bit in his sleep as Amy continued to touch him. She smiled as he made a contented sound deep in his throat. As she moved her hand slowly, another idea took shape in her mind. Biting her lip gently, her heart pounding with excitement, the redhead crept underneath the blanket. Tentatively, she lowered her mouth to Adam's throbbing erection, taking in his full length as best she could. 

"What the-" Adam woke suddenly to a delicious sensation, and his eyes snapped open. "Oh, God..." He raised the flap of blanket covering him up to his chest and looked down the length of his body beneath it. A gentle smile took form on his handsome face as she saw Amy just hovering over him. She continued to lavish him with her tongue, lips, and, very gently, with her teeth as well. 

"Baby..." He gritted his teeth, feeling as though he might lose his mind. What she was doing felt _so _good. He wanted more - he wanted _her_. "Amy..." Gently, he pulled away from her very giving mouth, sitting up and shoving the blanket aside. 

The diva looked up, meeting his eyes, which were slightly glazed over in his sleepy and highly aroused state. He gently pulled her toward him, and she positioned herself on his lap. Adam sought her lips hungrily, kissing her deeply, raising both hands to her face. The redhead responded with equal fervor, savoring the feeling of his hot, moist lips on hers, his tongue penetrating her mouth deeply. 

The blond man lowered his hands to Amy's waist, quickly repositioning her so that he could enter her. He sighed with relief when he did so, unable to contain a moan as she began to rapidly move up and down over his length. 

Adam tried to hold on as long as he could, wanting Amy to come first, but with all the stimulation he had received, it wasn't easy. As it turned out, he got a pleasant surprise when they both ended up reaching the brink at the same time. 

When it was over, they lay beside one another on the bed. Amy turned toward him with a satisfied smile, and Adam wrapped his arms around her, snuggling against her. He kissed her on the forehead, a content feeling sweeping through him. He quickly reflected on how the two of them had originally gotten together. It amazed him that he had once disliked her, had not gotten along with her. Although that had been fairly recent, those days seemed so far in the past. 

Adam lowered his head again to kiss Amy's lips, and the redhead kissed him back ardently. As he held her more closely against him, rubbing his chin against her hair, he felt ecstatically happy and couldn't imagine anything going wrong. Little did he know that the recent past would soon come back to haunt. 

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**Part 9**

**Back**   
  
  
  
  



	9. Fire&IceThe Fine Line Between Love&Hate

  


* * *

_RAW, April 9, 2001_

Amy felt slightly depressed. Although she'd seen Adam earlier that day, she missed him horribly. He, along with Jay, was in WWF New York, hosting RAW for the evening - while she was at RAW in Boston. They wouldn't be together all night, and would meet up again for the SmackDown taping tomorrow. 

Amy sulked a little in the women's locker room as she awaited her spot in the evening's show. Most of the other divas came and went, not paying her any heed because they were in groups of two or three, engaged in conversations and focused on matches. 

The redhead was so distracted that she didn't even notice a solitary diva who had stepped into the room when the others had left. The woman regarded Amy cautiously for a bit, then sat down on the plush black leather couch beside her. 

"Hi, Amy." 

The redheaded diva turned her head in the direction of the voice, which had startled her. Her guard went up just a fraction as she took in the slightly uncertain, almost nervous smile the blonde woman gave her. 

"Hi, Trish..." 

"Penny for your thoughts?" 

"Oh, it's...it's nothing...I was just thinking, that's all," Amy said. 

The petite blonde bit her lip, sensing what was on the other woman's mind. Although she knew they were keeping their relationship secret, Trish knew the redhead and her fellow Torontonian, Adam, were together. In fact, the blond man had approached her as he had two months previously. Initially, Trish had thought he was going to ask her for yet another favor - one that would upset _her_ as well as Amy - but to her pleasant surprise and relief, he hadn't. Instead, he'd revealed that things between Amy and himself were going well. And the blonde diva was genuinely happy for both of them. 

The only thing she was _unhappy _about was the fact that, since all the little favors she'd done for Adam, Amy seemed to have pulled away from her. That hurt - Trish and the redhead had become very fast friends soon after the Canadian's debut just over a year earlier - and Trish missed their friendship tremendously. 

The blonde woman glanced down at the floor for a moment as she pondered telling Amy something. But how could she do that? Adam hadn't wanted the redhead to know what he'd been up to back when he'd had Trish doing him those favors. And Trish knew the reason behind it - and why he'd been so sneaky and even a little underhanded. He'd been scared - the tall, normally fearless, exceptionally handsome blond man had been feeling scared and insecure. Adam was her friend, and Trish had sworn she wouldn't tell...and although she couldn't imagine this thing causing friction between them if she _did _tell Amy, she still didn't want to take chances. Besides, the blonde had given the man her word - and she _always _honored her word. 

Trish looked up to study Amy. The redhead looked a bit sad - lonely. She smiled a little to herself, for she knew Amy was in love with the tall blond Canadian man. Trish thought it was sweet. She hoped that Adam would never pull the wool over the young woman's eyes again. 

"Hey...would you like to get some coffee or something?" she suddenly asked, reaching out to gently touch the other woman's arm. 

Amy looked back up to meet the kind, warm chocolate-brown eyes of the woman who had once been one of her best friends in the WWF. She could see something in those eyes - a sort of longing. It sort of endeared her. Trish so obviously wanted to pick up their friendship where it had been left off - and Amy had to admit she'd missed it - missed _Trish_. 

"Okay...sure," the redhead finally replied. "Why not?" She gave the other woman a small but genuine smile. 

Trish's smile transformed into a full-fledged grin as they stood up and departed the locker room together. 

* 

"This sucks," Adam said grouchily as he and Jay sat alone in a small backstage room inside WWF New York. "I'd much rather be at RAW right now." 

"Well, hey - be happy they're giving us some time off after WrestleMania," the shorter man said. "And we deserve it after the beating our bodies took in TLC 2." 

"I know, but...well, what about Matt and Jeff? And the Dudleys? _They _still went to RAW - and are seeing action tonight as well." 

Jay glanced at his best friend, unable to hold back the laugh he felt coming. He snickered uncontrollably as the last few words the other man had spoken echoed in his head. 

"What's so funny?" Adam asked seriously, no trace of humor on his face. 

"Sorry, man, but..." Jay was nearly overcome by his laughter. "...you're just jealous because _you _wanted to see some action tonight - and you _won't_...well, maybe you will - with _that_." He pointed at Adam's right hand, which was resting casually on his right thigh. 

The tall blond smirked at his friend's crack and hilarity. "Ha ha, very funny...but at least _I _only have to do that tonight - unlike someone _else _I know..." 

"Ooh! Touche! Low blow - no fair!" Jay exclaimed, making a time-out gesture with both hands. "Shit, Adam - that was B-R-utal!" 

"Yeah? Well, you deserved it." 

Jay laughed. "Fair enough." Changing the subject, he said, "Hey, Amy and the Hardys have got a match against Austin, Triple H and Stephanie tonight, right?" 

Adam peered at him over the top of his silver sunglasses. "Yeah...and of course, they're going to lose." 

"Naturally...I mean, this _is _Stone Cold and the Game-uh we're talking about here..." 

"I still wish I were at RAW tonight," the tall blond said, a wistful tone in his voice. 

"Aww, isn't that sweet? You miss Amy," Jay teased. He still couldn't believe the redhead and his best friend were a couple. It had seemed like only yesterday that they had despised one another. And he had honestly believed Adam had had something going on with Trish Stratus - never in a million years would he have thought his best friend had been disappearing nights to be with Amy Dumas. 

Jay had gone to apologize to the redhead for walking in on her and Adam a mere six days earlier. He had bumped into her in the hallway of the arena during a house show in Columbus, Ohio. He'd been on his way to the buffet, and she'd been heading in the direction from which he'd just come, leading him to believe she was on her way to see Adam. Although she'd appeared uncomfortable, her hazel eyes darting around as though she'd been afraid someone would overhear them, he'd apologized profusely and sincerely. Amy's face had turned about as red as her hair, which Jay had found cute. 

Before he'd left her, he'd suggested she or Adam leave something on the doorknob outside of the room if they happened to be doing something they didn't want witnessed by anyone else - so that he would know when to back off. He'd nudged her on the arm when he'd said that, and while the diva had still looked embarrassed enough to want the floor to swallow her whole, she'd laughed softly, thanking him for that suggestion. 

He smiled as he eyed Adam, who hadn't said another word. The tall blond man appeared to sulk, which spoke volumes. His best friend's demeanor told Jay that Adam wasn't merely sleeping with the redhead - he was _in love_ with her. 

* 

Amy found herself laughing as she and Trish sat together in the tiny cafe downstairs from the arena, sipping espressos. The redhead realized how much she'd missed her friend as they reflected over their past on-air feud. Both women had enjoyed the Hardyz/T&A feud, and, along with it, the Lita/Trish Stratus feud. 

"I cannot stress how happy I am that my most current storyline is officially over," the blonde said, rolling her eyes in disgust. She had absolutely _hated _the angle in which she'd played Vince McMahon's plaything - literally. 

"God, I don't blame you," Amy said. 

"I swear, if anyone _ever _suggests such a role for me again, I'll flat-out refuse...I might take it a step further," Trish said emphatically. "I might even consider going to Harvard for that M.D. after all." 

Amy smiled sadly. If it ever came down to such a thing happening, she would be glad for the petite blonde for standing up to the boss, but at the same time, she would be sad to see her friend leave. As it was, she doubted Trish would ever be made to act out such things again. She only hoped no one, especially Mr. McMahon, would ever have a similar storyline in mind for her. She thought she didn't have to fear that, as it seemed only the blonde divas were subjected to such rotten treatment. She was suddenly feeling grateful for her auburn hair. 

"So, how are things going, Amy?" Trish asked, a smile spreading across her pretty face. 

"Great, actually..." 

"So...you and Adam are really getting along, huh?" The petite Canadian leaned almost conspiratorially toward her friend, her smile increasing even more. 

Amy blinked, surprised that Trish would mention Adam and her, especially in such evidently good spirits, given the two Canadians' not-so-recent past. She arched an eyebrow, thinking that if their roles were reversed, she would never mention such a thing to her friend. Then again, tact and diplomacy had never been traits Sagittarians were known for - and Trish was certainly not an exception to the rules of her astrological sign. 

"Um...yeah, we are," she finally said. She bit her lip, somewhat uncomfortable discussing her relationship with Adam with the blonde. 

"That's great...I'm really happy for you both." 

Amy turned to look into the other woman's face. She seemed sincere, but Amy just couldn't be a hundred percent certain. And she didn't like that feeling - especially when it revolved around one of her friends. 

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**Part 10**

**Back**   
  
  
  
  



	10. Fire&IceThe Fine Line Between Love&Hate

  


* * *

Adam and Jay had done their little spot in the night's show several minutes earlier, and now they again sat in the small backstage room. The TV was on, and of course turned to RAW, and Jay gobbled down a slice of the cake they'd had set out to celebrate Edge and Christian's seventh tag team title victory. 

Adam had already eaten a small sliver of the cake, not really in the mood for sweets. He took a sip of water from the Poland Spring bottle he was holding as he watched the show. At the moment, the camera was focused on the inside of Austin, Triple H and Stephanie's locker room, and the two men conversed in the background until the brunette asked if they wanted to include her in on their little chat. 

"Why would Vince have Stephanie in the ring, anyway?" the tall blond asked rhetorically. "What can she actually _do_ besides yell with that annoying, whiny voice of hers?" 

"Nothing much," Jay agreed with a chuckle. "Well, what do you expect? Vince wants his little princess in the spotlight...God, what a joke last year, when he let her be the Women's champion for all of four months! Even Ivory and Jackie didn't get to hold onto the title _that _long!" 

"Yeah," Adam agreed as he ran a hand through his long blond hair. "But I have to admit that even back then, when Amy and I couldn't stand to even be in the same room together, I was happy to see her beat that brat and get the title away from her." 

"Oh, who _wasn't_?" 

A few minutes later, they were both deeply engrossed in the match. Adam winced as Triple H got the better of Jeff, the colorful-haired young man getting repeatedly battered. He was anxiously waiting to see the two women get into the ring for some action and was beginning to think that would never happen - but then, the four men were suddenly all battling it out on the arena floor. 

He felt a rush of satisfaction run through him as Amy suddenly flipped the spoiled brunette into the ring. The redhead wasted no time as she quickly executed a Twist of Fate, then climbed up to the top turnbuckle for her moonsault onto the other woman. 

"That's my girl!" Adam happily exclaimed with a grin, both hands clenched and up before him in an appreciative gesture as Lita got the three and the victory for her team. He and Jay high-fived one another. 

"Hey, I honestly thought they were supposed to _lose_," the shorter blond said. 

"Well, surprise, surprise..." Adam suddenly grew silent as he watched the TV screen. Triple H had slithered into the ring and stood behind the redhead, who was completely unaware of his presence. In front of her, Stone Cold Steve Austin had re-entered the ring, and she backed up. 

The Canadian winced as the diva turned around, suddenly realizing The Game was behind her and that she was trapped. 

"Oh, no..." His hands clenched into fists as he feared what would transpire next. Austin was terrorizing the woman, and the next thing he knew, the man shoved her into Triple H. Matt ran into the ring, fists flying as he forced The Game into a corner - but The Rattlesnake came back with a steel chair in hand. He smashed the Hardy Boy in the back with it, then continued hitting him. Jeff received exactly the same as he stepped into the ring to help his brother and his friend, and then Triple H delivered the Pedigree. 

"Oh, man," Jay breathed. 

As Stone Cold returned his attention to the darker Hardy, Lita positioned her body on top of his in a protective manner. Adam let out a gasp when the man suddenly brought the chair down on her back. But that was nothing compared to the way he smashed the edge of it repeatedly into her mid-section. 

"What the _fuck_?!" 

Jay whipped his head around to stare at his best friend. Adam's eyes were slightly wide, an expression the combination of shock and rage on his face. The tall blond sat up, leaning toward the TV set as he watched the two men continue to brutalize his girlfriend. 

"Oh, my God...son of a bitch!" he shouted when Triple H suddenly Pedigreed Amy. The redhead lay limp on the canvas until the burly man began to drag her around the ring by a tuft of her long hair. Afterward, The Game yanked her to her feet and it was Austin's turn. The Texan gave her the finger, then kicked the diva in the stomach, following that up with a Stone Cold Stunner. 

Adam couldn't believe his eyes. Although he knew this unwarranted attack had all been scripted, he was furious nonetheless. He wanted to get his hands on the asshole who had written the storyline - maybe choke the life out of them. What if Amy was hurt? Chances were that she very well might _be _- she had taken numerous chair shots, been the victim of a Pedigree _and _a Stunner - she couldn't possibly be one-hundred percent after all that. 

"God dammit!" the tall Canadian shouted as he stood up and began to pace the floor of the small room in his agitation and worry. "She looks like she may be hurt, Jay!" His green eyes were glued to the screen, full of concern. 

"Nah - I'm sure she's okay, Adam," the other man said. 

"I have to go to her..." 

"What? How are you going to do that _now_? We're here in New York, she's in Boston." 

"I don't _care_!" Adam cried. "Come on, Jay - look at her!" He pointed to the TV screen. "I can't just sit idly by over here while my girlfriend has just had her ass kicked by two men!" 

"Calm down, man...like I said-" 

"Damn that Vince McMahon!" the taller blond yelled angrily, interrupting his friend. He pounded a fist down onto the top of the television set, and Jay flinched, thinking it a miracle that it hadn't been broken with the force of the blow. He had always known Adam had quite the temper, and he wouldn't put it past him to lift up the TV and hurl it clear across the room. He was thankful when that didn't happen. 

* 

Amy was in the middle of a semi-pleasant dream, having fallen asleep pretty quickly after a quick shower. She heard a familiar sound in her sleep but couldn't place it in her dream. 

She suddenly awoke, her eyes snapping open as she became aware that she was no longer alone in her hotel room - or her bed. 

Before she could roll onto her other side, or leap out of the bed, the diva felt a strong pair of arms encircle her waist from behind. She squirmed in the grasp. 

"What the-" She managed to roll off the bed, landing on her bare feet, her breathing hard and fast as she reached over the nightstand. As the lamp suddenly illuminated the room, Amy was taken aback as she saw the person still on her bed - who'd had his arms around her. 

"Adam! You scared the _hell _out of me!" she cried. She wondered why she hadn't known it was him just by the scent of his aftershave. 

"Sorry, babe." The handsome blond man gave her a sweet smile. 

"_What _are you doing here?!" she asked as she lowered herself back onto the bed. She had to pinch herself to ensure she wasn't dreaming this. "You're supposed to be in New York." 

"I was," he replied, his eyes locked on hers as he turned over onto his right side, propping himself up on his elbow, resting his head on his hand. He reached over with his other hand to gently run his forefinger slowly up her bare arm. "But I had to go to you after what happened earlier tonight..." His emerald eyes looked concerned as he gazed into her beautiful face. "...I saw what Austin and Helmsley did to you." He sat up and leaned toward the redhead. "Baby, are you all right?" He moved his hand to her cheek, stroking it gently. 

"Yeah, I'm okay," Amy replied, her eyes locked on his. She felt touched at the realization that Adam had been worried about her following the events that had occurred after her match. Her heart swelled with more love than ever for him. 

"Are you sure?" 

"Well..." She tilted her head slightly to the right, pressing her left hand to the other side of her neck. "...I _do _feel very, very slightly sore." 

"Poor baby," the blond whispered as he continued to gaze at her, a look of extreme tenderness in his face. "Lay down..." 

The diva obliged, laying down on her back beside him. 

"No, on your stomach...I'm going to give you a nice massage." 

"Mmm...that sounds just about perfect," Amy murmured as she rolled over. She let out a soft sigh as she felt Adam pull her pajama tee up until her shoulders were exposed. A pleasant chill went through her as she felt his large warm hands on her skin. 

Adam massaged her shoulders, neck and back firmly, but not too hard, as he didn't want to hurt her. He straddled her, making sure to not put his weight on her body but the bed. He smiled as some soft exclamations of pleasure escaped the woman's lips. 

"That feels great..." 

The blond lowered himself slightly so that his face was closer to her. Amy could feel his warm breath against her shoulders, then the tender kiss he placed on her back. He moved his lips all over her, then straightened up a bit as he slid his hands underneath her a bit, his fingertips just barely making contact with the soft, sensitive flesh of her breasts. 

"Oh..." She was already breathless, already completely aroused and ready for him. "_That _feels good, too," she breathed. 

"You mean _this_?" The Canadian returned his hands to her breasts. 

"Well, yes, that too...but I really meant _this_." She blindly reached behind her, her hand instantly going to rub him through his pants. He had very quickly and easily developed a hard on as he'd begun massaging her. 

He moved as he realized she wanted to turn over onto her back, then straddled her again. The redhead returned her attention down low on him, rubbing at the large bulge in his pants. 

Adam let out a soft groan of pleasure, and suddenly, Amy was undoing his pants. As he began to help her to undress him, he couldn't suppress the chuckle that suddenly left him. 

"What's so funny?" Amy asked as she studied his handsome face, which wore an amused expression. She thought she'd maybe tickled him. 

"Oh, I was just thinking about something Jay said earlier tonight..." He shook his head. "...he made a joke about me not 'getting any action' tonight, and that I'd have to use _this_." He held up his right hand to her. 

The diva smiled. "Well, he was definitely wrong about _that_." 

Adam kept his eyes on hers, a feeling of tenderness washing over him. In a flash, he lowered himself to her and pressed his lips against hers. Their kiss was so passionate, it was dizzying, and they were both nearly breathless from the intensity between them. 

Amy wrapped her arms around the blond's neck, gasping into his mouth as one of his hands roamed over her body, the other gentle as it caressed her hair. She lifted her hips up off the bed as she felt him tugging at her pajama bottoms, and she had to bite her lip to keep from screaming when he suddenly lowered his hand between her legs, his fingers finding and rubbing her. 

After a few minutes, the redhead felt as though she might explode, and she reached down to gently grab his wrist, directing him to stop what he was doing. 

"I want you inside of me...please..." Her hazel eyes nearly pleaded with him. 

Adam gazed down into her eyes, a grin spreading on his handsome face. "Your wish is my command, lady...it would be my pleasure..." 

"No, it will be _both _our pleasure." 

"Oh, I'm counting on that..." He laughed softly as he lowered his head to hers again, kissing her deeply. She clung to him and kissed him back with equal fervor. As they contined, Amy let out a little whimper that was muffled by his mouth as she felt him enter her. She gasped at how very hard he was, wrapping her legs around his waist as he began pumping in and out of her body. 

"Oh, God..." she moaned. She'd already been close when he was working on her with his fingers, and now she was even closer. "Faster, baby..." She reached back and down, gripping his buttocks, her fingers kneading their flesh. 

The blond Canadian obeyed her request, thrusting faster. She felt so tight, and he didn't know how much longer he could hold on. 

Adam found himself chuckling softly a moment later, when the redhead came beneath him. Her brow furrowed prettily as she did, and she arched up underneath him as she tried desperately to hold onto the delicious sensation of her orgasm. 

The Canadian quickly followed suit, crying out her name as he emptied himself into her. The intensity of their lovemaking seemed to increase with each encounter, and he was left breathless. He collapsed onto her, his head against her breasts. He felt her hands caressing his hair and back, and he lifted his head to capture her lips in another intense kiss. 

"God, that was amazing..." the redhead whispered when their lips separated. 

"So are you, baby..." he replied, a soft smile playing at his lips, "...so are you..." 

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**Part 11**

**Back**   
  
  
  
  



	11. Fire&IceThe Fine Line Between Love&Hate

  


* * *

_RAW, June 25, 2001_

He pressed against her tightly, a soft, near-growl rumbling from deep in his throat as they kissed. She let out a little sigh as his hands slid from around her waist and down to her buttocks, cupping them firmly. 

He moved his hot lips from hers to her throat, nipping and sucking at it. He made a conscious effort to be gentle about it - more gentle than he would have liked - because he couldn't leave any marks on her, as their relationship was still a secret from all but three people. 

She pulled his head down to her a bit more, gently blowing into his ear and then nipping at the lobe. He groaned with pleasure. She sure knew what he liked. 

He soon reversed it so that _he_ was the one nibbling on _her _earlobe, and she sighed a bit louder. He licked the soft, sensitive flesh behind her ear, eliciting a soft moan from the woman in his arms. Then, he whispered into her ear, his breath hot and delicious. 

"I need you, baby...right here and now..." 

She gently pulled back to gaze up into his handsome face. "We can't...not _here_...this is the women's locker room!" 

"I know...I know..." Adam's expression was on of vast disappointment as he glanced around quickly, as if searching for a spot in the room where they might be able to hide to have sex if any of the other divas happened to walk in. There was none. 

They'd been taking a big risk when he'd come to the locker room Amy was sharing with the rest of the divas. While it wouldn't be any big deal if Trish Stratus were to walk in and see them, none of the other divas knew about them - therefore, it would be an awkward, hairy situation. Ivory, Jacqueline, Molly Holly and Lillian Garcia had all stepped out for a bite to eat before RAW. Debra now shared a locker room with her husband, Stone Cold Steve Austin, and Sara shared one with The Undertaker, _her _respective spouse - so they didn't have to worry about them. 

"We could steal away to _your _locker room," the redhead suggested with a smile. 

"That's all the way down the hall," the blond man complained. "What if someone sees us going there together - and me with _this_?" He grasped her hand and placed it against the crotch of his tight black leather pants. 

Amy let out a soft, pleased gasp as she felt the huge, hard bulge. She smiled as she lifted her gaze from it to Adam's green eyes. 

"You are just _so _horny, aren't you? Any time, any place, hmm?" She bit her lip gently as she kept up the eye contact with him. 

"Only with you," he said huskily, a gleam in his eyes. His grin widened. "That's what you do to me, babe..." 

"Okay," she murmured breathlessly as he moved his face close to hers again, "go to your locker room...I'll meet you there in a minute." 

"What if Jay's in there?" 

"Get rid of him," the diva said as she moved her lips to his for a quick peck. 

Adam held fast to her, not allowing just a peck, and he let his lips linger on hers, his tongue entering her mouth. He felt her lips part beneath the force of his tongue and sucked eagerly, spiraling his tongue around hers. God, he could never get enough of her. 

Finally, he released her. "See you in a minute," he said softly as he let go of her. 

The redhead lifted a hand to wave at him, her body aching with the intensity between them. The tall Canadian gazed at her longingly one last time before turning and slipping out the door. 

When he was gone, Amy released a breath, wishing she had some cold water at hand with which to splash herself. She had never been so uninhibited with a man as she had with Adam. The passion and intensity between them was simply combustible. 

After a moment had passed, the redhead quietly slipped from her locker room. Biting her lip, she glanced around the hallway. It seemed to be deserted. She stealthily began to make her way down the hall to her boyfriend's locker room. 

"Ames! _There_ you are," a voice called out to her from behind. 

_Oh, no!_ Amy rolled her eyes heavenward as she stopped in her tracks, a feeling of utter disappointment coming over her. Reluctantly, she turned to face the man. 

"What is it, Matt?" She knew she sounded impatient, and perhaps even annoyed, but damn it, she was! She couldn't help it. 

"I just wanted to go over that spot at the end of my match tonight," the dark-haired man said. He was already dressed in his ring attire, his long hair damp. 

"We've gone over everything a dozen times, Matt...I grab Trish, pulling her off the apron after she kissed you...The Big Show grabs _me_, pulling me into the ring, and then, when he makes a grab for you, I kick him downstairs. Voile, end of match - because of my actions, you get disqualified." 

Matt cocked his head to one side as he studied her. "Are you all right?" 

"Of course I am..." _Just horny, and you're preventing me from doing something about it, _she thought. 

"Okay...I'll let you go do whatever it was you were gonna do," Matt said. He continued to stare at her almost speculatively for a beat. 

Amy wondered exactly what her friend's reaction would be if he knew that what she was going to do was _Adam_. She knew it wouldn't be in her favor. "Okay, Matt...I'll see you a little later," she said with a quick smile. 

"Later, Amy." The elder Hardy trotted down the opposite end of the hallway. 

Amy stood there for a moment, watching him disappear, glad he didn't turn back. She realized he was on his way to the buffet room. Then, she continued her way down the hall to the locker room in which Adam awaited. 

The tall blond man instantly responded to her knock - their secret knock - and let her in. 

"That wasn't a minute," he chastised in a soft voice as he locked the door behind her. 

"Matt..." Amy said, and the single name was enough so that Adam understood. The Canadian swept her up into his arms, pressing her up against the door. She wrapped her legs around his waist, crying out softly as she felt he was still very hard. 

Adam kissed her hard, his lips more demanding than before, and she kissed him back eagerly. She felt his hand down between them as his other arm supported her weight. Amy realized he was yanking down the zipper of his leather pants to free himself. She reached down with one hand to stroke him, and he groaned with pleasure, closing his eyes momentarily. 

He placed her on her feet for a moment, undoing her olive green cargo pants. Amy let them slip down to her ankles, kicking out of them, and Adam's thumbs were instantly in her thong, yanking it down. He lifted her up again, pressing her into the door once more, when she suddenly stopped him. 

"Not against the door..." 

Adam easily got her message. In all his arousal and the urgency he felt to satisfy them both, he hadn't been thinking about all the noise they might make being up against the door. Anyone passing by could hear them - actually, he didn't even _care_ at the moment, but he knew she was right. He swept her into his arms again, carrying her to the other side of the room, where he pressed her back up against the wall. Her legs were clasped around his waist, and he plunged into her, letting out a sigh of relief as he began to push in and out of her. 

Amy tilted her head back slightly, her arms wrapped tightly around his neck. She let out a soft sigh. "Oh, God..." 

They both came quickly, the redhead climaxing only a few seconds before Adam did. 

Afterward, the blond still held her tightly, both their breathing still fast. He lowered his lips to hers and kissed her deeply. Amy raised both hands to tangle into his long blond hair, then moved them so they were on either side of his face. She gazed adoringly up into his beautiful eyes, and he smiled gently at her. 

"I'd better let you get ready for your 'coronation ceremony,'" she said softly. The night before, at the pay-per-view, Edge had won the King of the Ring tournament. Tonight, on RAW, he was going to be presented with a trophy celebrating the victory by Commissioner William Regal and Tajiri, his "right-hand man." 

"Mmm..." the Canadian uttered. He didn't want to let her go and nuzzled her gently. "Okay," he said softly, satisfied. "I'll see you later." As he zippered up his pants, the diva slipped her thong and pants back on. 

She blew him a kiss from across the room, waving, a small smile on her face, before she unlocked the door and let herself out. 

Adam waved back, sorry to see her go. He couldn't wait until his match against Billy Gunn and Matt Hardy's match were over and done with later - because then he would have her all to himself for the rest of the night. 

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**Part 12**

**Back**   
  
  
  
  



	12. Fire&IceThe Fine Line Between Love&Hate

  


* * *

_SummerSlam, August 19, 2001_

_{You're the one I need_   
_The way back home is always long_   
_But if you're close to me_   
_I'm holding on_   
_You're the one I need_   
_My real life has just begun_   
_'Cause there's nothing like_   
_Your smile made of sun_   
_In a world of strangers_   
_You're the one I know}_

Amy lay awake in her hotel room bed, her eyes trained on her boyfriend as he slept. He looked so peaceful, his breathing deep and regular, long blond hair fanned out on the pillow - almost like a halo. And although at one time she'd seen Adam as a devil, a tempest - a thorn in her side - she now saw him as an angel - an angel she couldn't imagine living without. 

She bit her lip as he suddenly stirred in his sleep, turning over onto his side to face her. One of his arms reached over across the bed in the process. His hand came to rest on her shoulder gripping it a little. 

Amy's face brightened into a small smile as she turned slightly so that she was facing Adam. She could feel his warm breath against her face, which comforted her. It was hard to believe that, nine and a half months earlier, she had despised this beautiful man. 

Although they'd been together that long, they hadn't yet spoken those three little but wonderful words: "I love you." Back when they'd had their first encounter, in early November of last year, their coupling had had nothing to do with love. The very idea of love ever existing between the two of them back them was just plain ludicrous. She found it ironic - life was funny. 

Amy's heart swelled with emotion as she continued to watch her sleeping boyfriend. He made a soft, contented sound as he shifted again slightly, his fingers skimming her hair. 

The redhead touched her fingers to her lips, kissed them, then placed her hand against his slightly parted lips. "I love you, Adam Copeland," she whispered. 

She continued to lay there, watching him sleep until there was suddenly a knocking at their hotel room door. Amy looked up, turning her head in the direction, then, when another knock sounded, she rose from the bed, carefully and gently removing the Canadian's hand from her. She tried to be extra cautious so as to not awaken him. 

She grabbed her short, red satin robe from the foot of the bed and slipped into it, tying it securely as she padded to the door. She ran a hand through her mussed auburn hair. 

"Who is it?" she asked as softly as she could manage - so the person outside could hear her, but so that she wouldn't disturb the man still asleep in the bed. 

"Amy, it's me - Matt." 

Amy's eyes instantly widened, and she glanced around the room frantically. _Holy shit! _What was she going to do _now_? Matt Hardy was nobody's fool - he knew her better than most anyone - he would _know_ someone was in here with her. And when he found out _who_... 

"Just a minute!" she called in as loud a voice as she would dare. She had to wake Adam up very carefully. She threw her hands up in a helpless gesture before rushing back to the bed. 

The redhead leaned across the bed, gently shaking Adam. He could be a bit of a heavy sleeper, so she also gently slapped at his cheek. 

His green eyes opened slowly, and he took in the vision of her before him. 

"Mmm...good morning to you, too," he murmured happily, a soft smile spreading across his sleepy, handsome face. He reached over to wrap his arms around her, pulling her on top of him. 

_Oh, damn! _Amy thought. He tended to be very affectionate, but also equally horny in the morning - so much so that it had become a regular thing for them to have sex first thing in the morning if they had the time - and sometimes even when they _didn't_. 

"Adam," the diva whispered, "not now...you have to hide..." 

He chuckled softly, which caused Amy to wince, then whispered, "How am I supposed to hide _this_?" Her eyes followed his to gaze down at his throbbing erection. "_You'll _have to take care of this for me..." 

"I will - I promise," she whispered, glancing fearfully toward the door. Matt _had _to be very suspicious by now. "_Later_..." 

"What's-" Before the blond man could finish his question, he looked up at the knock and voice. 

"Amy, come on! What's taking you so long?" 

Adam's eyes widened, his eyebrows quirking up a bit. "Oh, God...I'm sorry, I didn't-" he whispered. 

Amy got off him, pulling him up with her. She led him quickly by the hand to the bathroom, gesturing for him to hide inside. 

Clad only in a pair of striped boxers, he did as she instructed, then the redhead lifted a finger to her lips before quietly shutting the door. 

She ran a hand through her long red locks before she unlocked the door. As she opened it, she was met by the dark gaze of Matt. The elder Hardy Boy glanced the room over before meeting her eyes. 

"What's going on?" he asked. 

"Nothing...I just woke up." 

Matt stepped past her just inside the room, not bothering to wait for an invitation. 

"Ames, what's wrong? You've been acting really strange for a long time now." 

The diva swallowed the lump that had formed in her throat. "What...what do you mean?" 

"Why don't _you _tell _me_?" the dark-haired man said almost accusingly. The expression on his face, in his brown eyes was just slightly angry. 

"I don't know what you're talking about..." 

The man glanced suspiciously around the room once more, noting something significant. It was simple for him to put the pieces together, but he wasn't about to spell it out - that was _her _call. 

Amy suddenly grew angry. Who did Matt think he was? He wasn't her brother, and he sure as hell wasn't her father. And even if he were - so what? She was an adult who could make her own choices in life. 

"Matt, what exactly is it that you want?" 

"Oh..." the man said, looking back at her. "...I was looking for Jeff. I thought he might have come here...do you know where he is?" 

"No, I don't...I haven't seen him since last night," Amy replied. 

"Oh...well, sorry for disturbing you," Matt said. The suspicion still lingered in his eyes. Amy didn't miss it, nor did she like it one bit. It was times like this that she definitely didn't enjoy being Matt's friend. He had a tendency to be way too overprotective, smothering and judgmental. 

"Okay," she said. "Listen, I'll catch you later." She opened the door, holding it open for him. Neither of them would be having a match at SummerSlam later that night, but they would still make an appearance on the pay-per-view. 

The moment the elder Hardy brother stepped outside, Amy quickly shut and locked the door. She ran both hands through her hair, exhaling a sharp breath as she surveyed the room. 

"Oh, God..." she whispered. At that same moment, the bathroom door opened and Adam stepped out to her. 

"Wow...he sounded...weird," the tall man said softly. 

"Yeah," she agreed as her eyes came to rest on a pair of Adam's blue jeans that lay on the back of the desk chair near the bed. _Oh, no!_ She knew Matt had seen them - and it was more than obvious that they weren't hers. 

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**Part 13**

**Back**   
  
  
  
  



	13. Fire&IceThe Fine Line Between Love&Hate

  


* * *

Amy sat backstage in the women's locker room as she watched the first match of the night. She smiled at Lance Storm on the mic. Of course, she knew him from back in her ECW days. His persona in the WWF was pretty much like he _really _was - serious and..._vanilla_ - although the man was very nice and did in fact possess a sense of humor. 

A smile spread across her pretty face as Edge's music suddenly interrupted the Alberta native's speech. Amy's eyes sparkled as she watched Adam emerge from the back. Damn, he looked good. Sometimes, she couldn't believe she was really with this gorgeous man. She bit her lip at his appearance. His long golden mane was flowing, his chest bare, as he hadn't worn a T-shirt or one of his trademark trenchcoats, and he was wearing black tights adorned with dark pink and blue designs. 

Amy wondered how they were going to manage their spot later on, after the match. The storyline called for Edge winning the match and the Intercontinental championship along with it. Later on, he would be in the WWF locker room where Christian, Al Snow, Hardcore Holly, Matt and herself would be surrounding him, congratulating him. There would be a spot in which they had to shake hands as she congratulated him personally. She didn't have much of a poker face and wondered how she was going to pull this off - especially with Matt right at her side. What if the man saw right through them? What if he saw the truth in her and Adam's eyes when they looked at each other? 

She winced as the man she loved took some painful chops in the chest in the corner. "Come on, baby!" she said softly. 

She turned suddenly as the door was open. She was partly relieved when she saw it was only Trish. And then she realized the blonde was accompanied by Jeff. 

"Hi," the redhead said, then quickly turned back to the TV monitor. 

Her two friends sat down near her, also watching the match. After a beat, Jeff and Trish exchanged knowing glances. 

"You love him, don't you?" the petite blonde woman suddenly questioned. 

Amy turned to gaze at her, noting the big smile on Trish's face. She smiled back at her friend as a slow nod began. "Yeah," she admitted. "I really do." 

"Aww..." 

The three of them continued to watch the match in silence except for an occasional utterance at the fantastic maneuvers both men executed. 

"Come on, Adam..." Amy said softly as Lance Storm caught him in a submission leg hold. The blond man's facial expression displayed agony as he slowly made it to the ropes, forcing the other man to release the hold. And then _he _reversed it on the Alliance member. 

A few minutes later, Christian ran down the ramp to the ring, seemingly to help his brother. As the man went for a spear, Storm moved out of the way, and Christian instead nailed Edge. 

The champion quickly took care of the interfering man before turning back to his opponent with a kick. Edge blocked the maneuver, then went for his DDT finisher. Storm managed to block his effort with a reversal, but Edge executed the move anyway - getting the three-count for the victory. 

"Nice work, baby," Amy said with a small smile playing at her lips. 

After exchanging a hug with his tag team partner, the tall blond held up his newly-won title, then departed the ring. 

The redhead noticed how tired and sore her boyfriend appeared, and she made a mental note to make him feel better later on. Maybe a massage - like he had given her after a RAW a couple of months back. 

Jeff turned to his redheaded friend. "Ames...I have to talk to you," he said. 

She eyed him questioningly. 

"Matt is onto you," the young man explained. "He's been bugging me all day about how he knows you're sneaking around with someone." 

"Oh, is that so?" She arched an eyebrow as a feeling of annoyance swept through her. 

"Yeah...and he's driving me nuts!" Jeff said. "He doesn't suspect you and Adam are together, but he thinks you might be with Jay, or Chris, or even _me_." 

"_You_?" She instantly regretted her disbelieving tone. "Oh, Jeff, I'm sorry...no offense...you know I love you, but it's just that...well, you're like my kid brother." 

"I know, Ames. Anyway, I think you and Adam had better make a production in front of Matt - and soon." 

"What do you mean?" 

"What I mean," the rainbow-haired man said, "is that you guys should pick a fight in front of him - like you used to back when you guys didn't get along...that way, he'll never suspect you're with Adam." 

She thought about this, wondering if that might not make them seem too obvious if they were to do this in front of Matt. On the other hand, it might not be such a bad idea after all. 

"Thanks for the suggestion, Jeff," she said. "I'll bring it to Adam's attention." She rolled her eyes as she thought of the older Hardy's overprotective big brother attitude toward her. It was as if Matt wanted her to completely abstain from anything to do with a man that extended beyond friendship. "Why does he have to _get _like this?" 

"I dunno, Ames...I guess it's because he's afraid you'll get hurt or something." The young man paused for a moment, considering whether or not he should tell her what was on his mind at that moment. Then, "You know, I'll admit this - but...when you first told me about you and Adam...I got a little annoyed myself..." 

"You did?" 

"Yeah...but then, you were real upset, and I don't like seeing you like that. But now...I know you guys are happy together," Jeff continued. "I've seen the way your eyes sparkle when you talk about him...and even though Adam and I have never talked about you guys being together...I can tell he's crazy about you." 

The diva smiled as her hazel eyes took on a dreamy, faraway look. After a moment, she glanced from Jeff to Trish, who had remained silent for a long while. The blonde still had that smile of her own on her pretty face. "Jeff's right, Amy...Adam is crazy about you..." 

* 

Less than half an hour later, the spot that Amy had so been dreading happened. The small group was gathered around Edge, who was sitting with his newly-won Intercontinental title belt over one shoulder. 

As she praised him with encouraging words of congratulations with the guys, she felt a rush of happiness run through her. Adam looked so happy, and he deserved the gold. 

Christian was currently explaining how he had managed to get himself a shot at Matt and the European championship the next night on RAW. When he walked away, Edge stood up and the dark-haired Hardy praised him for his victory, shaking his hand. Amy held her breath in anticipation, as it was now _her _turn. 

The second Matt had walked away, the new IC champ turned toward the redhead. She offered him a smile and her congratulations for the second time. They shook hands quickly, and Amy realized the same worries she was experiencing must have been in Adam's head. The handshake was very fast, and she instantly pulled her hand away and followed Matt. From across the room, she watched the little comedy skit between Edge and Christian that involved a call to the shorter man's cell phone from their "Grandma Edna." She bit her lip as she watched them from where she stood across the room, knowing she would never bring up what was on her mind that night. She didn't want to rain on Adam's parade, wanting him to have his happiness for the time being. 

As she watched the exchange between Adam and Jay, she suddenly had the most uncomfortable feeling - as if a pair of eyes were watching her intently. She turned her head slowly to see Matt, his dark eyes burning with intensity as he stared at her suspiciously. Then, as she continued to eye him, the elder Hardy Boy shifted his gaze over to the two blond men, causing Amy a shudder to go through her. 

But then she realized something odd - Matt was not eyeing Adam. As the taller blond walked away, he had his eyes trained on Jay, his eyes narrowing. The redhead had to catch herself so as to not exhale a breath of relief. 

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**Part 14**

**Back**   
  
  
  
  



	14. Fire&IceThe Fine Line Between Love&Hate

  


* * *

_RAW, August 20, 2001___

After his terrific match and Intercontinental title victory the night before at SummerSlam, Adam had the night off at RAW. That is, he had no match. But the tall blond was on hand and had a small spot on the show. 

The door to the locker room he and Jay were sharing was suddenly opened, and Amy quickly stepped in, shutting the door behind her. She stood for a beat up against it, her arms behind her back as she surveyed Adam. She allowed her eyes to scan his form, appreciating the way he looked in his tight black leather pants and short-sleeved button-down shirt, which he currently wore open, his chisled chest bare. Amy thought he looked good enough to eat. 

"Hey..." 

"Hey..." The new Intercontinental champion stood up and started toward her, and she met him halfway. Adam pulled her into his embrace, lowering his head to hers and kissing her passionately. God, he never seemed to be able to get enough of her. He just couldn't keep his hands - among other things - off her. 

When the kiss ended, Adam gazed at her with concern. "How's your knee?" He gently tugged the redhead by the hand to the black leather couch upon which he'd been sitting moments ago, sitting back down and pulling her onto his lap. 

"Baby, I told you last night - I'm _fine_." 

The night before, on Sunday Night Heat, previous to the pay-per-view, Lita had been jumped by Ivory while Alliance divas Torrie Wilson and Stacy Keibler had distracted the redhead. The veteran brunette had gone for the other woman's knee, savagely kicking and battering it. Amy felt fine, but she was supposed to hobble around for the next week or so to play up the storyline. 

"Are you sure?" Adam asked, his green eyes fastened to her face. He'd been so terrified she'd really been hurt. 

"Yes...you worry too much." The redhead smiled softly as she moved a bit on his lap, repositioning herself so that she was straddling him. 

"I can't help it..." the Canadian muttered as his lips met hers. He moved his hands down to her waist, holding her closer as they kissed. 

"Whoa! Err...sorry, guys..." 

They abruptly stopped upon the sound of Jay's voice. The blond man stood just inside the door and shut it behind him, as he didn't want anyone just outside to happen by and see them. 

Adam couldn't help but become annoyed as his best friend still lingered. 

Amy started to move as if she were going to get up off him, but he held fast to her, not letting her move. 

"Again, I'm sorry, you two," Jay said as he stepped further into the room. He tried not to gawk, relieved that they had not actually been having sex. "I just came in here to get my cell phone..." He reached into his bag and came up with the instrument." "...I'll...err...get out of your way now." He briefly turned back to them once he was by the door. "I'd suggest locking this thing," he said with a raised eyebrow as he thumped the door before he left. 

After a beat, Adam faced the redhead again. "He's got a point...you forgot to lock the door." 

Amy held up one finger, then got off of him and strode to the door, locking it. As she made her way back over, she ran a hand through her auburn locks. "Actually, I need to talk to you about something." 

"Okay...what about?" He noticed the slightly uneasy look on her lovely face. 

"We have to have a fight in front of Matt," the diva blurted. 

"Huh?" 

"Adam, Matt is onto us...well, he's onto _me_...I don't think he suspects you at all," she explained. "Jeff told me he's been acting crazy after yesterday morning. Matt's convinced I'm either with Jay, Jericho or even Jeff himself!" 

"What?!" The idea of Amy with any one of those men was ridiculous to her boyfriend. "Oh, brother!" 

"Yeah...so, you see what I mean...we should pick a fight just in case he starts putting two and two together and comes up with you as the guy I'm with..." 

"Okay..." the Canadian man said. In truth, he thought the whole thing was silly, but if Amy wanted this, he would do it. If she requested of him to move Mount Everest, he would at least _try_. "...but in the meantime..." He smiled as he pulled her toward him. The redhead instantly straddled him again, wrapping her arms around his neck as she giggled softly. Her laugh was muffled as Adam's lips were again on hers. 

* 

Later, Amy was hanging out with the Hardys in their locker room. Matt's European title defense had ended, and the dark-haired man had walked away with his championship. 

The three of them looked up at the knock on the door, then Jay and Adam walked in. Amy looked up, and from behind Matt, she pleaded with the taller blond with her eyes. 

"Hey," Jay said. "Great match we had tonight." He moved closer, putting his right hand out to shake the other man's. "Even if you _did _have to win." 

"Yeah, it was a good one," Matt replied, putting his hand into Jay's to shake. 

They began to chat a little more, and finally, Amy decided to take some initiative. Biting her lip, she spoke. 

"So, why are _you _here?" she snapped, regarding Adam. "All you've done here all night is sit on your ass spit-shining that belt." She gestured with a nod of her head toward the gold he still held over his right shoulder. 

The tall blond man perked up, in reality amused inside as he put on his best poker face. Improvising as best he could, he muttered, "Yeah? Well, I'm surprised to see you up and about, Amy - after getting your knee _and _ass kicked last night. I'd have thought you'd be spending all night on your back after that..." Adam had to nearly bite his lip as he concluded his remarks. "Then again, I'm sure you spend a _lot _of time in that particular position, anyway." 

Amy forced herself to glare up at him. "And wouldn't you like to know..." She rose from the couch as she pretended to stare daggers into the tall blond. "..._pig_!" She then briskly left the room, slamming the locker room door for emphasis. She couldn't help the tiny smile that spread across her face, or the soft giggle that escaped her as she made her way to the women's locker room. 

* 

Hours later, after one in the morning, Amy entered her hotel room. She was unable to stifle a yawn as she flipped up the switch beside the door, and the bedside lamp went on. 

Her eyes were instantly drawn to the bed, a slow smile spreading across the face as she took in the scene before her. 

Adam was lying in the center of the bed, awaiting her. The blanket was covering him as he gazed up at her with a grin. He had put on the air conditioner, and as Amy neared the bed, she realized he was completely naked. 

They had both just come from hanging out with their closest friends at a neighborhood club, and it had been sheer torture for both of them. They'd had to stay away from each other and act like they hated one another for the sake of the charade to throw Matt off their trail. Adam had finally grown tired of the game and left, having forced Jay to go back to the hotel with him. About half an hour later, Amy had feigned being exhausted and left as well. 

"I was wondering when you were going to take my cue and leave that damn club," the blond man quipped with a sexy half-smile. 

The redhead's smile widened as she instantly went over to him, crawling into his arms on the bed. Their kisses were hot and passionate, and Amy let out a soft murmur as she felt Adam pressing up against her. An equally soft, gentle laugh escaped her as he began removing her clothing. 

"Mmm...Adam..." 

"You know what?" he said with a chuckle. "Pretending we hated each tonight - that really turned me on..." 

She gazed into his emerald eyes, which were filled with mischievousness. "Oh, really?" 

"Definitely," he said. "That was really hot...we should do that more often." 

Amy laughed, but inside, she acknowledged that they might actually _have _to continue doing so. She moved slightly to wriggled out of her white thong, and Adam removed her matching bra, then lowered his head to her breasts, nuzzling them. 

The diva threw her head back as she savored the feeling of the Canadian's lips and tongue on her sensitive flesh. "Oh, God...keep doing that..." 

After awhile, she was nearly breathless with the anticipation of having him inside of her. The redhead nearly let out a sigh of relief as the tall blond man suddenly stood up, pulling her to her feet with him. After a searing kiss that left them both breathless, he turned her around so that her back was facing him, one hand gently pushing at her back so that she was slightly bent over the bed. She bit her lip as she felt him press up against the back of her body, then let out a gasp as he slid into her from behind. His thrusts were slow at first, but gradually built up in speed at the urgency to satisfy the both of them. 

As she came, Amy had to mentally admit that Adam was right - for pretending they still hated each other had totally turned her on as well. It brought back memories of their earlier encounters - when they _had _felt that way toward one another. 

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**Part 15**

**Back**   
  
  
  
  



	15. Fire&IceThe Fine Line Between Love&Hate

  


* * *

_Unforgiven, September 23, 2001_

To further throw Matt Hardy off the scent, so to speak, Amy and Adam had decided to check into separate rooms at the hotels. They had begun doing this several weeks earlier, and it had been the redhead's idea. 

Adam protested at first when she had made the suggestion, pulling the diva into his arms and pressing her against him. "I'm going to hate doing this, baby..." he murmured, his face close to hers. He gently nuzzled her throat, his hands sliding down to her hips and buttocks. "...I can't stand being away from you for even a minute." 

Amy clasped her arms around his neck, eyes closed as she savored the delicious sensation of his lips and hands on her. "It'll be all right," she said softly, breathily. "We'll still be together - we'll just sneak into each other's room like we used to do..." 

The blond man made a sound that was half-protest and half-satisfaction. "Mmm..." He pulled back and gazed down into her hazel eyes. "I have an idea - why don't we just tell Matt the truth?" He'd been wanting to do exactly that for quite awhile now, but because of Amy's wishes, he'd kept silent. 

This time, it was the redhead who made a sound deep in her throat. Her face went pale as well, which startled Adam. "No, Adam...I _can't_...you know how Matt is..." 

"Aww, Ames," he grumbled, a pout on his handsome face. "If we told _him_, we wouldn't have to hide or sneak around anymore..." 

"I know, but..." 

They stared at each other for a moment in silence, a myriad of emotions swirling through both of them. Judging by the expression on the diva's face, Adam could plainly see that the very idea of the darker Hardy knowing about them terrified her. 

"You know, Jeff told me that Matt even accused _him _of being with me," Amy said. "And you know he interrogated Jay the night after SummerSlam..." 

The tall Canadian rolled his green eyes with a slight sigh. "_What _is his problem? I mean, did he think you were a virgin??" 

"Who knows?" She raised her hands to his long, soft golden hair, gently twining her fingers through it. 

"Okay," the man finally relented, "we won't tell him...but Amy, eventually, he's going to know. Either he'll find out on his own somehow, or else _someone _will spill the beans...or maybe _we'll _even tell him voluntarily." He hoped it would end up being the latter that happened. 

"I know, I know..." Amy said softly, wanting to push the subject completely from her mind. "...now, shut up and kiss me." 

Adam chuckled as he lowered his head to hers, more than happy to oblige. 

* 

"I _know _she's running around with someone," Matt said irritably to Jeff. They were in their locker room, preparing for their four-corners tag match later on during the pay-per-view against The Hurricane and Lance Storm, The Big Show and Spike, and the Dudley Boyz. 

The colorful-haired Hardy glanced at his brother. "So what? Even if she _is _seeing someone, why do you _care _so much, Matt? I mean, do you want her for yourself, or what?" 

"No!" the dark-haired man insisted. "You _know _I only think of Amy as a kid sister...but because of that, I don't want to see her get hurt because she's messing with some jerk who's only going to end up hurting her." 

"Oh, really? That's funny, since you seem so sure she's with one of your closest friends - including _me_!" Jeff cried. "So, you think of your best friends and your own _brother _as jerks, huh?" 

"No, but..." Matt ran a hand over his long brown hair. "...aw, hell, Jeff! You _know _I didn't mean it like that...but Amy's not in a serious relationship or anything with this guy - _whoever _he is...I just worry that she's setting herself up for a broken heart..." 

Jeff kept his mouth shut about it, but thought to himself, _That's where you're wrong, bro... _Aloud, he said, "Look, man - Amy is a big girl. Even if she was sleeping with a different guy every week, it's still _her _business...so, just cut her some slack." 

The older man sighed as if in resignation - at least for the moment. "Aww, whatever...we've got other things to think about right now, anyway...there's our match. And then later, I'm looking forward to y'all taking me out for my birthday." Matt smiled. "Thanks, by the way." 

"That's the spirit...and hey, don't mention it..." 

* 

"Mmm...that feels great, baby," Adam murmured as Amy's hands worked magic on him. "Your massages totally reek of awesomeness." 

The redhead laughed as she continued to knead the muscles in the blond man's shoulders and upper back. She was helping him to get loose for his upcoming match against Jay. It had finally happened earlier that month - the "most photogenic" tag team in WWF history, seven-time tag team champions Edge and Christian had been split apart, and now the two "brothers" were competing for the Intercontinental title, which, of course, was still currently held by Edge. 

"Hey, babe...why don't you walk on my back for a little bit?" the Canadian suggested as he lifted his head to glance over his shoulder at her. 

"Okay," came the reply. The diva untied her sneakers, snickering as she did. Once they were off, she stood up, tentatively stepping onto her boyfriend's back. 

"Don't forget my shoulders," Adam said, turning his head so the left side of his face was against the floor. 

A moment or so passed, and then there was a sudden knocking at the door. Amy instinctively got off of Adam's back, and she looked around quickly for a place to hide as the tall blond stood up. 

"Who is it?" 

"Matt!" 

Their eyes met, and Amy let out an inaudible gasp. She ducked for cover behind the couch in the locker room. At the same time, Adam went to the door and opened it. 

The redhead pressed tightly against the couch, a horrible feeling going through her as she suddenly realized she had left her sneakers on the floor in plain view. _Oh, my God! _She bit her lip, praying Matt wouldn't notice them. 

"Hey," Adam said as he held the door open but didn't move to allow the darker Hardy entrance. "Happy birthday...what can I do for you?" 

"I know this is going to sound like a real stupid thing to ask _you_, of all people, but...have you seen Amy?" 

The blond man was surprised, but he didn't allow that feeling to show. "No, can't say I _have _seen the skank..." 

"Hey," Matt said, "lighten up on her, huh? At least for tonight...it's _my _birthday, and I say the two of you get along for my sake, okay?" 

Adam looked the other man straight in the eye. This was definitely interesting - and he had to admit, it was a little fun as well. "Well, I can't speak for the skank, but I guess _I_ can try," he quipped. 

Behind the couch, Amy bit her lip, thinking about how the tall blond sounded. There he was, calling her a skank again. 

"Adam..." Matt's voice was chastising. 

"Just busting your balls...yeah, okay - I guess I can make nice with her - just for tonight, for your birthday." 

"Great...now, I'm going to go look for her. See you later, man - and good luck in your match." 

"Thanks - same to you, Matt." 

As soon as Amy heard him close the door, she stood up and came out from her hiding place. 

"Whew...it's a good thing he didn't notice your shoes!" 

"You creep!" The redhead gently punched Adam in the stomach, and she laughed as he feigned pain, clutching at his midsection. "Did you really have to call me a _skank_?" 

"Come here..." the blond man said tenderly, reaching out and drawing her into his arms. In a second, his lips were on hers, and she kissed him back fervently. 

* 

Later on, Amy took a big chance in spending part of the time during the pay-per-view with Adam. Since she had the night off, she was able to sit backstage watching matches on a TV monitor. 

When the Intercontinental title match between Edge and Christian took place, she made certain to sit in the women's locker room - just in case Matt might happen by. Trish Stratus sat beside her, the petite blonde chattering happily. She too was off for the night, and she was enjoying the chance to kick back and just watch the matches. 

The match was going very well, and Amy had been enjoying it - until after Adam executed a German suplex on Jay - when she realized he was suddenly bleeding. 

"Oh, my God..." Her heart leapt up to her throat as she realized the tall blond man's blood was seeping pretty quickly. 

Trish's face wore a serious expression as she noticed what had happened. Then, eyeing her friend and seeing the frantic expression on her face, she said, "Oh, Amy...I'm sure he's all right...it...it's just a cut." 

"It looks bad!" the redhead cried as she turned to gaze into the blonde diva's face, terror in her eyes. 

Trish reached out to grab hold of both her hands. "Amy, listen to me - it's okay..." She grew fearful as the other woman appeared on the verge of tears. 

Amy stood up and began to nervously pace in front of the couch. She didn't dare move out of view of the TV, her eyes glued to the form of the man she loved. 

The Canadian blonde eyed her friend with concern, worried about how the redhead seemed so mesmerized. She was afraid Amy was going to snap into a fit of hysteria at any moment. 

"Amy, come here," Trish said softly. She held one arm out to the other woman. 

The redheaded diva went to her friend, gratefully accepting the hug that she offered. As she rested her chin against Trish's shoulder, she tried desperately not to cry, for she knew it would only make people suspicious. 

* 

"Damn!" Matt muttered to his brother as they gathered up their belongings. The pay-per-view was over and they were preparing to leave. 

He'd just gotten word that, after the Intercontinental title match, Adam would not be able to make it to his birthday celebration - the tall Canadian was in no shape to party, as he'd gone to the emergency room to get stitched up after getting busted open under his left eye. 

"I know, man, but what can we do?" Jeff replied. "Maybe Adam'll treat you for your birthday another time..." 

"Yeah," his older brother said. "I'm just disappointed - but poor guy...that was a pretty bad cut he got." 

There was a knock on the door, and Jeff reached out and opened it. Amy and Trish stood in the doorway, the redhead leaning against the little blonde and not looking all that good. 

"Ames...what's the matter?" 

"I...I don't feel so good, Matt," she replied weakly. She exchanged glances with Jeff, who immediately knew what this was _really_ about. The exchange was so brief that Matt didn't notice. 

"Oh, no...what's the matter?" This time, it was the younger man who posed the question. 

"I have the most terrible migraine," she said in a misery-filled voice. "And I'm feeling nauseous because of it..." She turned back to the dark-haired Hardy. "Matt...I'm _really _sorry, but..." 

"Aww, man...don't say it," he said. "Okay, Ames...you go back to the hotel and rest up - feel better." 

A tiny twinge of guilt swept through the redhead, but it disappeared just as fast. She was doing nothing wrong, damn it... Her boyfriend had been injured, and he was more important than anything or anyone else at the moment. 

"Thanks...happy birthday," she said, stepping closer to Matt to plant a kiss on his cheek. 

Trish explained that she was going to drive Amy back to the hotel, but that she would meet up with the brothers at the club they'd planned to go to. When both women were gone, Matt turned to his brother. 

"Man, this sucks...first Adam, and now Amy..." 

Jeff rose an eyebrow, relieved for his friends that his sibling was blessedly clueless. 

* 

By the time they'd arrived at the hospital Jay had told Amy that Adam had gone to, tears were streaming down the redhead's face. She'd been crying for several minutes, eerily silent, no audible sobs escaping her. 

"He'll be _okay_, Amy..." Trish said reassuringly as she put her rental car in park in front of the building. She reached out and placed her hand on her friend's knee to pat it gently. "Do you want me to go in with you?" 

"No, that's all right," Amy replied as she undid her seatbelt. "Thank you, Trish." 

"Oh, don't mention it...you're my friend - I couldn't leave you in such a jam. Now, go on - go to your man." 

Amy eyed the blonde tearfully, then leaned over for a quick hug. After a moment, she pulled back and exited the car. 

  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**Part 16**

**Back**   
  
  
  
  



	16. Fire&IceThe Fine Line Between Love&Hate

  


* * *

_RAW, October 22, 2001_

Amy had quite a great match that night, teaming up with Trish Stratus, their opponents Ivory and Mighty Molly. 

Adam smiled as he watched the ending - as Lita scored the win with a moonsault on the veteran brunette. Afterward, the redhead enveloped her friend and tag partner in a tight hug. 

He had no match for the night himself, as he was getting a break after last night's Intercontinental ladder match - which _he _had won - against Jay. Both blond Canadians had been battered in the match, Jay coming out worse for wear than he had. 

Adam had a spot on the show in which he would be conversing with Kurt Angle in the arena hallway - and then, Rhyno would gore him into a steel door, setting up a match between his Olympian friend and the ManBeast. 

The tall blond man was alone in his locker room, as Jay wasn't around that evening - his best friend was home for a couple of days, recovering from the after-effects of their ladder match. 

Adam perked up as he Matt Hardy suddenly appeared on the TV monitor's screen, the man stepping into the women's locker room, calling for Lita. Instead, he found Trish, who was topless, a towel held up to her chest. As the blonde told him she was about to take a shower, Matt stared after her. 

The moment Trish disappeared, the redhead entered the room, surprised to see the elder Hardy - who covered effectively by claiming he'd been looking for her. After a small conversation, Matt invited the fiery diva to a shared shower, which caused Adam's eyebrows to raise in surprise. He hadn't known about this part of the script, and he wasn't so sure he liked hearing about his girlfriend showering with another man - even if it _was _all pretend. 

Adam ran his hand through his hair as he stood up, taking one last glance at Amy's image on the screen. He thought she looked so alluring in her black fishnet top and olive green cargo pants, her red thong showing. He'd wanted to do things with and _to _her earlier that night, when she'd first gotten dressed, but she'd pushed him away, as there hadn't been enough time. 

The Canadian tried to push away the delicious thoughts penetrating his mind. He had to go out there to do his spot with Kurt Angle - so it would be a good idea to temporarily rid himself of his sensual thoughts about Amy. 

* 

Amy winced as she and Trish watched Rhyno savagely gore Edge into a steel door in the arena hallway. Although she was certain the bulky man had tried his best to be as gentle as possible, she still knew that gore had to have hurt. For crying out loud, the previous night, her boyfriend had been in a grueling ladder match. The last thing he needed was further battering. 

A few minutes later, she left the locker room and Trish and went to Adam's locker room. Raising a hand to knock, she glanced around to make sure Matt wasn't lurking nearby. 

Without a word, the tall Canadian pulled Amy into the room by her arm, shutting and locking the door behind her. 

"Are you all right?" she asked, her hazel eyes full of concern. 

"I'm fine," he replied, a soft smile on his face. He recalled how very frantic she'd been when he'd suffered that nasty cut under his eye a month before at Unforgiven - she'd been crying, which had surprised him, especially since she herself had sustained the exact same injury - oddly in the same exact place, under her left eye - at the Survivor Series last year. It had been then that he'd realized exactly the depth of her feelings, how very much she cared for him. The same look was in her eyes right now - and it warmed his heart. 

The redhead was still clad in the outfit she'd worn to the ring less than half an hour earlier, and now the naughty thoughts Adam had been having returned to combine with the tenderness he felt toward her. He pulled her tightly against him, ducking his head and moving his face closer to hers, their lips only inches apart. 

"Well, well, well...what have we here?" he said with a soft chuckle. "We've got this entire locker room to ourselves tonight..." 

She smiled as she gazed up into his green eyes, noticing how the colors within were shifting - which tended to happen whenever he was aroused. Not that she needed to see his eyes to know this, though - she _felt _it against her hip. 

"So, we _have_..." 

Adam grinned before placing his lips on hers. He kissed her hungrily, his hands roaming over her back, hair, the swell of her hips and her buttocks. She kissed him back and lowered one hand to the crotch of his black leather pants. As she fondled him, the blond had to lift his head and let out a soft moan. Just by touching him through his pants, she drove him wild. 

He groaned a moment later when the redhead suddenly pulled away, gently breaking out of his embrace. He was about to protest, but she suddenly lifted her shirt up over her head, letting it drop to the floor. 

"You know, ever since my spot with Matt earlier - the shower thing - I can't seem to clear my mind of that..." she revealed, a slightly impish smile on her lovely face. "I would _love _a shower right now - with _you_..." 

Adam grinned as he stepped closer to her, kissing her ardently as he began undoing her bra. When it slipped down her arms, she tugged at the edges of his green T-shirt, and he helped her remove it from him. 

Amy let out a soft gasp as she reached to unbutton his pants, and he followed her hands with his own and unzippered them, pushing them away. As he stepped out of them, he reached over and undid her cargos, slipping his fingers into her thong when they fell to her ankles. 

The tall blond slid his hands up to her bare breasts, pressing his lower body against her. She pulled at his briefs, and he moved her hands away to remove them, then instantly went for her thong. 

They were both completely naked, and Adam lowered his head to kiss the redhead again. She sighed in his hot mouth as he slid his tongue deep into her moistness, lowering his hands down between them, finding her. Her breathing began to quicken, and Adam was unable to wait to get to the shower. He lifted her up, and as she wrapped her legs around his waist, he slid into her. 

"Oh, God..." She threw her head back and sighed deeply as he pushed in and out of her gently. "Mmm...I thought we were going to do this in the shower," she murmured. 

He let a soft chuckle escape him before pressing his face to her throat, gently placing a love bite on the soft flesh. "Okay...you win," he said softly. He slid out of her, gently set her on her feet, then swept her up in his arms. The diva's laughter was soft and feminine as Adam carried her across the locker room to the nearby shower. 

* 

An hour or so later, Matt Hardy stepped out of his locker room and into the hallway. He headed for the buffet, as he was hungry after not having eaten much before the show. 

"Hey, Trish..." He smiled at the petite blonde cheerily as he spotted her getting a sandwich in one corner of the room. 

"Hi, Matt," the diva replied with a smile. She grabbed a bottle of diet Coke to go with her small meal. 

"Have you seen Amy?" 

Trish glanced at him for a beat, then quickly glanced away. She knew that the redhead had gone to see her boyfriend at his locker room. "Umm...no. No, I haven't seen her for awhile." 

"Well, do you know where she might have gone?" the dark-haired man queried. "I've been looking for her, and I can't find her." 

The blonde eyed the Hardy Boy. "Is there something I can pass on to her, Matt? I mean, since I'll probably see her again in the women's locker room." 

"No, that's all right, Trish. I really just wanted to ask her something...I guess I'll just catch up with her later." 

"Okay..." the young woman replied. She watched Matt leave the room, hoping, for Amy's sake, that he didn't feel nosy enough to do some investigating. 

* 

Amy gave Adam a brilliant smile as they stepped out of the shower together, and the blond man dried her off lovingly with a towel. Their eyes met until he brought it up to dry her hair, which was dripping wet. 

Their lovemaking in the shower had been breathtaking to both of them, and the redhead had bitten her lip when she came, in an attempt to stifle her cries of pleasure. Although the room was large, she couldn't be certain of how sound-proof it was. 

"That was really something..." Adam said softly, his eyes locked with hers. He had wrapped a towel around his slim waist, and the diva wrapped her arms around him, reaching down to grab his left buttock through the material. 

She smiled up at him, and the Canadian ducked his head slightly to place a passionate kiss on her lips. Amy's laugh was muffled as she responded in kind, allowing her tongue to intermingle with Adam's, and the blond raised his hands to tangle gently into her damp hair. 

The redhead suddenly pulled back as she felt him growing hard against her again. "My God..." she said with an amused chuckle, "...you just can't _ever_ get enough, can you?" 

"Nope," he admitted with a devilish grin. He started to reach for her breasts, but she stopped him with a hand against his chest. 

"Baby, I can't..." 

"Oh, come on..." he murmured. He transformed his face into a pout, which Amy found adorable. 

"Adam, I have to get back to the women's locker room," she said. "People are going to wonder what happened to me," she explained. 

"All right," he said resignedly as he crossed his arms over his chest, eyeing her with only partial mock disappointment. 

"Aww, don't worry - you'll get me all to yourself after the show...and _that's _a promise." 

The blond man's handsome face brightened into a huge grin, and the diva found the expression so irresistible that she reached over to pinch his cheek. "Have I ever told you how damned cute you are?" she asked, her hazel eyes shining. She began re-dressing into her clothing, which had been left on the floor where they were standing. 

"As a matter of fact, I think you _have_." 

Amy did the button on her cargo pants, then slipped into her shoes as she gazed up at her boyfriend. Her laughter suddenly filled the locker room, and to Adam, it sounded like music to his ears. He reached for her, gently pulling her into his arms and pressed a kiss on her lips again, and she kissed him back fervently. 

"See you later, baby..." she said softly as she made her way to the door. She turned back to look at him, blowing him a kiss as her hand touched the knob. 

Adam smiled as he pretended to capture the kiss in mid-air, then Amy slipped quietly from the room. 

Once out in the hallway, she stood there for a split second, a small smile on her face as she ran a hand through her damp red locks. As she stepped away and started down the hall for the women's locker room, she failed to notice the person standing a short distance away, around the corridor. 

Matt Hardy stood rooted to his spot, eyes wide and jaw dropped in shock. He had seen the diva leaving what he knew to be Adam's locker room. Given the fact that his two friends were supposed to hate each other, he wondered what in the world she had to have been doing in there. 

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**Part 17**

**Back**   
  
  
  
  



	17. Fire&IceThe Fine Line Between Love&Hate

  


* * *

_RAW, October 29, 2001_

Matt Hardy sat in silence in the locker room as he watched his brother lacing up his wrestling boots. His mind was preoccupied as it had been for the last seven days. He'd been thinking it all over, trying to piece everything together, but the puzzle in his mind just didn't seem to want to fit. 

"Jeff...?" 

The rainbow-haired Hardy looked up as he finished tying his left boot. "Hmm?" 

Now that Matt knew for sure that he knew the truth, it was actually difficult for him to get the words out. 

"So...it's been Adam she's been with all along, huh?" 

Jeff raised his head sharply to stare at his older brother, trying his darndest not to allow the shock he felt show on the surface. 

"What?" he asked innocently after a brief hesitation. "Where'd you ever get _that _crazy idea?" He couldn't believe it. Matt had been completely off-track about who he'd thought Amy was seeing, but all of a sudden... He wondered how he'd found out. 

"It's not a 'crazy idea,' Jeff," the dark-haired man stated. 

The younger man simply stared at him, his right eyebrow raised. 

"Look, I _know_..." Matt's brown eyes were clear and unwavering. "I _know _she's with Adam - not with Jay, not with Chris, not with Drew...not with _you_...I've known for a week now, Jeff..." 

Jeff kept staring at him, not wanting to say a word to confirm _or _deny his brother's words. He swallowed guility, hating the fact that he was about to finally discuss the situation truthfully - and all after Amy had pretty much _begged _him not to say a word to Matt. But he'd kept his promise and never told his brother a thing - somehow, Matt had figured it all out himself. 

"H-how did you find out?" 

"Last week, during RAW, when I was looking for Amy after our little spot in the women's locker room...when I went to the buffet, I ran into Trish, who said she didn't know where she was..." He sat down as he continued. "...so I ended up going down the hallway and I finally found her - leaving Adam's locker room!" 

Jeff sucked some air into his mouth between his teeth. No doubt about it, Amy and Adam had been caught. He cringed inwardly at the horrible scene he could easily envision. 

"Now, why..." Matt continued. "_Why _would Amy be coming out of _there _when she hates Adam, and _he_ can't stand her, either? It's not like Jay was there for her to visit that night!" 

Jeff ran a nervous hand through his colorful locks as he remained silent and listened to his brother's soliloquy. 

"I just can't _believe _it! All this time, they've both been pulling the wool over my eyes!" 

"Matt, listen to yourself, man..." the younger Hardy finally said. "I know I already asked you this awhile back, but...what's the big deal? Do you want Amy for yourself?" 

"No!" Matt said. "It's not that...like I _told _you, I don't want to see her get hurt. And Adam Copeland's-" 

"Your _friend_!" Jeff interrupted and finished his sentence simultaneously. "Keep that in mind, Matt - he's your friend! So, I suggest you keep a level head about all of this." 

"Well, how can Amy be with him when he's always insultin' her and calling her names and stuff? She's setting herself up for-" 

"It's not like that," Jeff told him. "The last little while when they've had fights in front of you - it was all an act to throw you off their trail - and _I'm _the one who suggested they do that!" 

Matt's eyebrows rose. "Oh, is that so?" He couldn't help feeling a little bit impressed, as they'd been so convincing. "_You _suggested it?!" 

"Yeah, and..." Jeff took a deep breath, exhaling it fully before continuing. "Matt, don't mess this up...Amy told me everything back in March. They'd been...'seeing each other' since November...Matt, Amy is in _love _with Adam." 

"Oh, really? Well for her sake - no, for _both _their sake, I certainly hope it's mutual..." 

Jeff kept his lips pressed tightly together as he stared at his brother. As much as he honestly believed in his heart that Adam _did _love the redhead, he'd never actually _heard _his friend _say _as much. _You and me both, bro, _he thought. _You and me both..._

* 

Amy eyed Adam with concern as she sat near him in his and Jay's locker room. She bit her lip as she worried about how he would come out of his match for the night. The Canadian would be facing none other than Rob Van Dam. 

The redhead winced as she watched her boyfriend retrieve a pair of sunglasses to wear to the ring. It wasn't that she didn't like his evening's opponent - she liked RVD quite a lot and had ever since their ECW days together - but the man tended to be very solid in the ring, and he was definitely one of the most stiff workers she'd ever seen. So many of Van Dam's opponents had been busted open facing him - Kurt Angle, Chris Jericho, Jeff... Amy had been so worried about her colorful-haired friend when he'd had his Hardcore title match against the man at SummerSlam. 

Adam straightened up from his bag, turned around and saw the diva chewing on the thumb of her left hand. She sometimes did that when she was nervous or upset. 

"Hey...what's the matter?" He came toward her and wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her to him. 

She ducked her head slightly, then raised it to gaze up into his green-emerald eyes. With a sigh, she explained herself. 

"It's just that...well, I'm a little worried for you, that's all..." 

"Why?" 

"Because you're squaring off against Rob..." Adam blinked as he stared her soulful hazel eyes. "So?" 

"So, he's rough in the ring," the redhead said with a wince. "Look at what happened to Chris when he faced him at Unforgiven!" Their friend had suffered a laceration on his forehead, and he'd walked out of the match a bloody mess. "Hell," Amy continued, "look at what happened to _you _at that pay-per-view! And that was only against Jay..." 

"That wasn't Jay's fault, it was my _own,_" the blond interjected. 

"I know, but my point is that Rob will leave you more bloody than _that_..." 

Adam's handsome face brightened with a small smile. She was _really _concerned, really worried for him, which demonstrated how she truly felt about him. Up until Unforgiven, she'd never displayed such tender concern about a him in a match he was involved in. It was...sweet. 

Instead of words, he pulled her to him and enveloped her in a tight hug. He found it hard to believe he had ever doubted her, how he could have ever felt insecure... Well, that was all way in the past now. 

His heart swelled pleasantly. He had never felt so in love with anyone as he did with Amy Dumas. She was special, and for _keeps_. Too bad he had such a ridiculous fear of actually _telling _her he loved her - it bordered on a phobia. That made him feel lousy, because she deserved to hear that, to know that. He _knew _she had to love him, but he had an irrational notion that she _didn't _- that if he were to say those three little words to her, she might not respond - or worse yet, laugh in his face. 

He was a coward, and he hated it. They'd been together, albeit on and off in the very beginning, for nearly a year now, and he was _still _a coward. The way he'd always seen it, why would the redhead want _him_? 

Adam gazed down into Amy's eyes, forcing a smile on his face as these thoughts flitted through his mind. "Baby, I'll be all right...don't worry..." 

The redhead looked somewhat sad as a pout he found absolutely adorable came over her face. "'Don't worry'? Well, I think I have a _right _to worry..." 

Adam couldn't resist a chuckle at that. It wasn't that anything she was saying or the situation struck him as funny - he was just feeling touched. She made him feel so good. 

"Come here, you..." He gently tugged her closer again, dipping his head to kiss her passionately. He gently sucked on her lower lip, then deeply penetrated her mouth with his tongue. 

Amy clung to the blond man with every fiber of her being, wishing she could somehow just have him all to herself and not have to worry about hiding how she really felt about him to everyone. Maybe it was time to suck it all in and tell Matt - but she knew she wouldn't do that - at least not _yet_. She wished she and Adam could take some time off - a vacation, a trip, just the two of them, away from everyone and everything having to do with the WWF - but if they went to Vince to request time off, things might get messy. They would have to do that separately, since the boss, like everyone but Jay, Jeff and Trish, knew nothing of their relationship. Mr. McMahon would become suspicious if one of them asked for time off and then the other did the same sometime after - especially since they would obviously be requesting the exact same days. 

Oh, hell... Amy pushed all these thoughts from her mind and only concentrated on Adam. She loved him so much. He was pretty much her whole world now - well, at least a good percentage of it. 

When their long, drawn kiss came to an end, the tall blond man raised his head from hers and gazed into her eyes, then moved forward to place a sweet kiss on the tip of her nose. He was smiling at her, and the diva couldn't help but feel a smile of her own coming to her face. The days when she had disliked him with a passion couldn't have felt more in the past. 

"How about later on, after RAW, we go out somewhere on the town?" Adam asked enthusiastically, a gleam in his beautiful eyes. "Just you and me..." 

Amy's breath caught in her throat. In all the time they'd been together, they'd never really gone out alone while they were on the road. It always seemed that their friends wanted to hang out together - so either one or both of them would go. If they were both out, they deliberately avoided one another like the plague. If one was out, they would stay out for only so long before making up an excuse as to why they had to return to the hotel earlier than everyone else. Or, the other thing that frequently happened was that neither of them went out, and instead, they found excuses not to go - and then they would be together. 

"Oh, I would _love _that!" the redhead cried happily. 

"Great...we'll have to make like we're both staying in tonight in case Chris or Matt or someone wants to go out..." 

And you _know _they will," Amy finished for him. It never surprised her when Chris Jericho wanted to hang out at clubs all hours of the night, as the self-proclaimed "Party Host" was exactly _that - _as well as a party animal. Matt was a different story. Sure, he'd always enjoyed hanging out, but up until only a few months ago, he'd never initiated that sort of thing. As long as she'd known the Hardys, _Jeff _had always been the more partying of the two - Matt had always been more of a stay-at-home, or, in _their _case, stay-at-hotel type. 

It had occurred to Amy awhile back that perhaps the older Hardy had changed these habits just to try to catch her - maybe Matt had thought it would be easier to figure out who her "mystery man" was if all the "suspects" were out with her. That thought had annoyed her. 

"We'll figure something out later, okay?" Adam was saying. "Promise..." 

"Great..." the diva said with a smile. She reached for him, and they exchanged one last kiss before she left the locker room. 

Outside in the hall, Amy smiled as she thought of something special she had planned for Adam's birthday the following night. She wanted everything to be perfect. But for now, she had to concentrate on her upcoming match against Stacy Keibler.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**Part 18**

**Back**   
  
  
  
  



	18. Fire&IceThe Fine Line Between Love&Hate

  


* * *

Adam's match against Rob Van Dam had gone smoothly, and despite Amy's fears, he had walked out of it completely intact and spilling no blood. 

He went back to his and Jay's locker room to watch the redhead's match against Alliance diva Stacy Keibler. He found it silly to put the two in a feud against one another because of the leggy blonde's ineptitude in the ring, but at least he didn't have to worry about Amy getting hurt. 

"Hey, man," Jay greeted as Adam stepped through the door. The shorter blond was already showered and dressed in his street clothes, done for the night. "Great match out there." 

"Thanks," the taller man said. "I'm going to catch a quick shower - I've gotta be ready to see Amy's match in a few minutes." He grabbed his clothing and a towel and disappeared into the shower room. 

As he showered, Adam thought about his birthday coming up tomorrow, and he wondered what Amy might have in store for him. He grinned at that thought, as he knew she must be planning _something._ And if he knew her, it would probably be something exceptionally sexy. He felt himself growing hard as he envisioned the two of them doing various things to pleasure one another. 

The tall Canadian managed to finish his shower without pleasuring _himself_, and he quickly toweled off and got dressed. He had to see his girlfriend's match - and when it was over, he was going to take her back to the hotel and - well, to put it crudely - screw her brains out before taking her out on the town. 

"Is her match on yet?" Adam asked as he stepped back into the locker room. He walked around to the front of the TV monitor, peering into the screen. He got his answer as he saw Stacy making her way down the ramp to the ring. 

"Good timing, Adam...as you can see, you haven't missed a thing," Jay replied with a smirk. 

The two best friends watched the match, which was all Lita until Matt Hardy had decided to come down to ringside. The current storyline had Stacy flirting with him, seemingly to come between the couple. 

Matt knelt down to check on the redhead, who, like her opponent, was laid out on the arena floor. After tossing Stacy to the outside, Lita had perched up on the top turnbuckle to splash her, only to hit the guardrail around the ringside area instead. 

The dark-haired man lifted the young woman up into his arms and gently placed her back into the ring. At the same time, the leggy Keibler had gotten back to her feet and made her way over to Matt. The Hardy Boy proceeded to shout at her accusingly, only to be slapped quite hard in the face. 

"Whoa! That was some whack!" 

Adam ignored Jay's comment as he watched the next bit. Matt balled his right hand into a fist, not noticing the diva in the ring crawling over in his direction - and when he brought his arm back, the redhead caught his elbow right in her face. 

"God damn it!" The tall blond sat all the way forward on the couch as he stared angrily at the screen. Matt had connected quite solidly with Amy's face - it appeared that he'd gotten her in her right eye. 

The other man turned to eye him, not blaming Adam for being angry. It looked as though Matt had hit Amy pretty hard. He didn't bother trying to tell him to calm down, as he knew it was futile. The taller man was so protective of his girlfriend, and, at the very moment, he looked furious enough to run down to the ring and beat the living hell out of Matt Hardy. 

"If he hurt her...!" Adam raked both hands through his long blond hair and looked around the room as though searching for something to throw. Instead, he seemed to calm down just a bit. "I'll be right back..." He calmly left the room, leaving a shocked Jay behind. 

Adam stormed down the hallway in the direction of the women's locker room. He needed to find one person, and one person only. As he finally came to the room, he knocked furtively, and the door opened. He felt a measure of relief when Trish Stratus peered out at him. 

"Trish! Thank God...you're just the person I was looking for..." he said in a loud whisper. "Can I come in?" 

"I guess so...I'm the only one in here right now," the petite blonde said. She held the door open a little wider for the man to enter the room. When he did, she shut the door behind him. 

"Did you just see Amy's match?" Adam asked, running his hand through his long hair. He began to pace the small room. 

"Yeah, I saw it. Why?" 

"I think she got hurt, Trish!" the Canadian man said seriously as he looked her in the eye. He lowered his voice an octane. "Now, as you know, Amy and I can't be seen together by everyone, so you have to help me..." 

The little blonde arched an eyebrow. "What do you want me to do?" 

"I have to see Amy when she gets back here...I _know _she's hurting after that elbow she took from Matt...you have to let me in here - but you'll have to keep the other divas away." 

"And how do you expect me to do that, Adam?" Trish questioned. "Torrie went back to the hotel because she's not feeling well, so she's not one to worry about. But Nora just stepped out to use the ladies' room...Jackie's talking to Bradshaw down the hall...Stacy will be back here any minute, now that her match is over." 

The blond man ran a quick hand through his long locks as he stared at her. "Fine...then just do me _this _favor, okay? Give her a message for me..." As Trish listened to him expectantly, he went on. "...tell her to meet me at _my_ locker room, okay?" 

"Okay...I think I can manage that." 

* 

Amy winced as she held the little plastic bag of ice up against her right eye. She had just come from the trainer's room for the icepack, as well as getting her eye examined by the man. He'd told her things she'd already known - that she'd taken quite a bump and that she should expect to get a black eye as a result. 

"Ames...I am _so _sorry!" Matt cried for the umpteenth time in the last ten to fifteen minutes. He felt horrible guilty for having hit her as hard as he had. 

"For the millionth time, Matt - it's okay...I'm not mad at you, so you can stop apologizing," the redhead replied. She just wanted him to leave her alone so she could get back to the women's locker room, take a shower, slip into her street clothes and leave. Although her face hurt a bit, she still wanted to take Adam up on his offer to take her out. 

"Do you forgive me?" The dark-haired man's voice took on a pleading, remorseful quality. He stared at her with sorrowful brown eyes, and she sighed. 

"Yes, Matt...of course I forgive you." She patted him on the shoulder and eyed the nearby door to the women's locker room. "Now, let me go get cleaned up so I can get out of here." 

"Okay...again, I'm really sor-" 

"I know you are..." She moved the icepack from her eye and managed a small smile for him. "...I'll see you later." 

"Goodnight, Ames..." Matt couldn't help the guilt he was still feeling as he gave her hand a quick squeeze before turning around and heading back to his own locker room. He glanced one last time back at her as she reached the door. 

The redhead stepped into the locker room, shaking her head with exasperation. Trish came straight toward her as she closed the door, the blonde woman's face looking serious and tentative. Her friend linked her arm with Amy's and steered her back out toward the door. "Adam wants to see you in his locker room ASAP..." 

Amy gazed directly into the other woman's chocolate brown eyes. 

"...he came here a few minutes earlier and was _so _worried about you after what happened out there with Matt." She kept her voice low because the other divas present that night had all returned to the locker room. 

Despite her pain, the redhead couldn't help the tiny smile that spread across her face. Adam was _that _worried about her? Her heart swelled with love for the tall blond man. 

"If I were you, I'd go right through that door and go see him _now_," Trish whispered. "Don't make that man wait..." 

Amy turned around to look over her shoulder uncertainly. She wanted to take a shower first, but if Adam was that worried about her... Finally, she spoke. "Thanks for the message, Trish..." She smiled at her friend as she raised the icepack to her eye again. 

"Don't mention it!" 

Amy went back the way she'd come and left the locker room. With a tiny smile still touching her lips, she headed back down the hallway to her boyfriend's locker room. 

She knocked on the door when she reached it, biting her lip as she waited for a response. 

The door opened after a few seconds, and Jay looked out at her. "Oh, hey, Ames..." He winced as he noticed her bruising right eye. "Are you okay?" 

"I'll live..." She stepped into the room, her eyes instantly meeting those of Adam, who instantly rose from the couch as he saw her. 

Jay watched the couple as they approached each other. "Whoops, I'd better get out of here," he said. "Don't worry - I'll be out of your hair in a minute..." He strode across the room to retrieve his bag, zippered it up, grabbed his jacket, and headed for the door. "Have fun, guys..." He gave them a knowing smile before walking out of the room, closing the door behind him. 

Adam walked over to the door to lock it before turning back to his girlfriend. He stared at her with concern for a beat before enveloping her in a big hug, rubbing her back and long red hair gently. "Are you okay, sweetie?" 

"Yeah, I'm all right," she replied. "But don't be surprised if I have a shiner by tomorrow morning..." 

"Aww..." The tall blond pulled back to gaze into her face, raising a hand to very gently touch the area around her right eye. 

Amy kept her eyes on his and couldn't help the tiny smile from coming to her face. She realized they were even for the night - she'd been worried about him, and now the tables had turned. She raised her arms, the bag of ice still clutched in her right hand, and wrapped them around his neck. They kissed fervently, tenderly, and the Canadian suddenly pulled back with a slight jump, a yelp escaping him as the ice brushed against his neck. 

The redhead laughed heartily. "Sorry!" She dropped the icepack into the nearby garbage can, then replaced her arms in their previous position, pulling his head down to hers to continue what they'd started.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**Part 19**

**Back**   
  
  
  
  



	19. Fire&IceThe Fine Line Between Love&Hate

  


* * *

Amy awoke the next morning feeling great. It was Adam's twenty-eighth birthday, and she couldn't wait to surprise him after the SmackDown taping. 

He had a rematch against Rob Van Dam, but this time it was to be for the Hardcore title. She didn't like the idea of him in that kind of match, especially against RVD, who, because of ECW, was an old pro at that sort of thing. It had been no big deal when Adam had competed in the same exact kind of match a little more than a year earlier against Steve Blackman - but he hadn't been alone, as Jay had also been in the bout, thanks to then-Commissioner Mick Foley making Edge and Christian take on the Lethal Weapon together. 

As for herself, her eye ached a tiny bit, and she sensed she had finally developed that shiner overnight. Matt would probably be falling all over himself apologizing profusely to her again when they saw each other later. 

She thought about the little spot she and the Hardys would have to do later. It seemed as though the writers and other creative people wanted to set up for a breakup of Team Xtreme. After the events of last night, when Matt had hurt her, she would walk into the Boyz's locker room, looking for Matt. But Jeff would be alone in the room, and as he would be touching her face, gazing down into her eyes with brotherly concern, Matt would walk in to see them - thinking it was a lot less innocent. 

Amy smirked at the similarity. Life imitates art, or in this case, art imitates life. Matt wasn't too much different for _real_,as he'd been hassling her for months now about being with one of his friends. As if her personal life were _his _business. And unlike the WWF storyline, she knew he wasn't jealous - no, with the _real _him, it was always a ridiculous overprotective big brother attitude. 

Actually, Amy suddenly realized Matt hadn't bothered her about her "secret" boyfriend for a week or so. Although that wasn't a long time by anyone's standard's, it was unusual. Maybe he'd finally given up, deciding to accept the fact that her life was _hers_? Then again, she knew what a tenacious person Matt was - but she was not about to complain about his letting up a little. 

"Amy..." Adam spoke her name sleepily, pretty much mumbling it. She snuggled closer to him as she gazed into his face. 

"I'm here, baby..." 

He fixed his sleepy green eyes on her. "You stayed all night this time..." 

"No, silly," she said with a laugh on her lips. "This is _my _hotel room - _you _stayed all night." 

"Oh, yeah..." he said softly, a smile taking residence on his handsome face. And then he suddenly remembered how she had gotten hurt the night before - Matt had accidentally elbowed her in the face when he'd brought his arm up as if to take a swing at Stacy Keibler. He turned over onto his stomach, propping himself up on his elbows to get a better look at her beautiful face. "How's your eye?" 

"I don't know - I haven't looked in the mirror yet, but I'm sure it's not pretty." 

Adam touched her face gently with one hand, moving her head slightly to the side so he could examine her. He winced at the sight. Sure enough, she had a shiner beneath her right eye. He hissed some air between his teeth as he gingerly rubbed the area with his fingertips, his touch feather-light. 

"Is it that ghastly?" the diva asked. Judging by his reaction, she guessed it had to be pretty bad. 

"No, it's not _that _bad, Ames...I just...well, it looks painful. I can practically feel it myself." 

She smiled at him as she turned over, rolling onto him, which caused the blond man to reposition himself onto his back. He held her over him, and she straddled him, the soft smile still playing at her lips. 

"You're so sweet..." she said as she continued to hover over him. "...it's nice to have such a sympathetic boyfriend." 

He kept his eyes locked on hers, his hands sliding from her waist to her butt, and then he slid them all the way back up to her face. 

"You know," he admitted slyly, "I really wanted to kill Matt last night for hitting you so hard..." 

"You did?" She looked surprised. "Well, he didn't _mean _it, you know..." 

"I know...but still...I couldn't help it." 

The redhead's smile returned, seeming to Adam to brighten the entire room. God, the way he felt about her... There probably weren't enough words in the English language to describe it. 

He slid his hands so that they were once again at her waist, and he held tightly to her as she leaned down to place her lips on his. They kissed passionately, her tongue battling his for dominance. She raised her hands to his long blond hair, letting her slim fingers run through it as they continued and drew the kiss longer and longer. And then, she felt another part of him pressing tightly against her inner thigh. She reached down with one hand to grip him, and when she suddenly broke the kiss, he was breathing heavily. 

"Well, hello there," she said with a chuckle, a little sly smile on her face. "Hey, I just realized something..." 

"What's that?" the Canadian asked as he gazed up into her eyes, his own eyes somewhat glazed over in his aroused state. 

"I haven't even wished you a happy birthday yet..." the redhead replied. "Happy birthday!" 

He chuckled softly. "Thanks." 

"And I'm going to make sure it's a _very _happy birthday," she continued. She proceeded to pull at the sweatpants he'd worn to bed. He moved a little to help her get them off of him. Afterward, she lowered her mouth on him, taking him inside little by little. 

He let out a soft gasp as her tongue took a long little lap at him, and then, when she did it again, only a bit longer, he held his breath, savoring the beautiful sensation. 

"Oh, God...that feels _so _good..." 

She continued to do this for awhile until he felt as though he might burst. She was driving him absolutely wild with that tongue of hers. 

The blond man emitted a sound deep in his throat that was half-groan, half-whine. The red-haired diva lifted her head to get a glimpse of his face, and her heartstrings tugged at the ecstatic expression on his handsome features. It actually bordered on a look of pain. 

As Adam gazed up at her, Amy lifted the sexy red babydoll she wore up over her head, and he reached for it to toss it away. His hands lowered to her matching red thong, and he fingered the elastic on it. She repositioned herself to rid herself of the delicate garment, then straddled him again, lowering herself onto his shaft. 

The Canadian let out a sigh, his green eyes locked on hers as she began to ride him. He reached both hands up to hers, and she grabbed them, and, their hands clasped beside his head, she lowered her lips to his. Their kisses were even more passionate, the blond spiraling his tongue around Amy's almost dizzyingly. She continued riding him slowly but soon quickened her pace. Adam added his own upward thrusts, releasing high hands from hers to grip her around the waist. 

The redhead arched her back above him as he reached down between them and rubbed at her. He moved his fingertips over her in the motioin he knew she liked, and before long, she was crying out his name, moving her body against him to draw out her orgasm. She came two more times, alternating between moans and panting. Only then did the blond allow himself release, again thrusting up into her, gripping her waist tightly as he came. He moaned loudly as he emptied himself into her. 

"Oh, God...Amy..." When it was over, she rolled off of him to lay beside him, laying her head on his chest. She smiled as she listened to his heartbeat. 

"Wow...that was...amazing." 

Adam laughed softly as he caressed her hair, allowing his fingers to trail gently up and down her arm, tracing her huge tattoo. 

"I second that," he said softly. "Happy birthday indeed!" He moved his hand up to her chin, tipping her face up slightly to kiss her. He couldn't believe how happy he was. A year ago, he never could have envisioned this. 

He wanted to tell her how he really felt deep in his heart - that he loved her. But his irrational insecurities caused him to hold his tongue. 

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**Part 20**

**Back**   
  
  
  
  



	20. Fire&IceThe Fine Line Between Love&Hate

  


* * *

"You okay, man?" Rob Van Dam asked Adam as they headed backstage together. Their Hardcore title battle had just ended, and the Canadian had been blindsided by Test - who had lately taken to wreaking havoc after joining the Alliance. 

Van Dam had ended the match, RVD not supposed to have been aware of the big man's interference, with a Five-Star Frogsplash. 

"Yeah, I'll live," Adam replied, one hand up to his head. 

As they headed down the hall toward their respective locker rooms, Test - Andrew Martin, caught up to his fellow Torontonian. 

"Hey, sorry if I kicked you a little too hard there, man..." 

"No problem, Drew..." 

"I just sorta get carried away sometimes," the tall blond said. Then, changing the subject, Drew said, "Happy birthday, by the way." He smiled. "So, how are you gonna celebrate it tonight?" 

As they neared Adam's locker room, he looked past Drew, catching sight of Amy. God, she was being particularly daring tonight - she was half in the doorway to his locker room, half in the hall, and she was giving him a come-hither look, a tiny smile on her lips, and making a "come here" gesture with her forefinger. 

Adam found it incredibly erotic and was already getting turned on. As the redhead slipped through the door and out of sight just in time, he replied to Drew's query. 

"Err...not too sure just yet, but I'll figure something out..." 

"Cool...see you later." The younger man slapped a hand to his shoulder, then turned to walk the opposite way down the hall. 

"Later, Drew," the shorter blond replied. Little did _he _know that Adam was actually referring to a sexual position in the answer to Drew's innocent question. 

Adam stepped through the door of his locker room and was met by Amy, who had been just behind the door. She was on him the instant he entered, and he wrapped his arms around her tightly, his hands traveling up and down over her sweet, feminine curves as they kissed. 

"Err...excuse me, guys. Not that you'd actually _know _it, but you're not alone..." 

Jay's voice startled the taller man, who actually gave a slight start as he pressed more tightly against the woman in his arms. 

"Oh, dude!" Jay groaned, making a face. "Go take a cold shower!" He hadn't missed the sight of the bulging hard-on in his best friend's wrestling tights, though he wished he _had_. 

The redhead laughed softly. "Or we can take a _hot _shower - _together_..." she suggested saucily, her eyes locked on her boyfriend's. 

"Good grief, you two! _Spare _me the nitty gritty details of your sex life, will you?" The Canadian stood up. "All right, I can take a hint...and judging by _that_," he added, gesturing to the lower part of Adam's body, "I'd say it's a pretty _big _hint...Don't worry, I'm outta here. Have fun..." He smirked as he started for the door, thinking how the two lovebirds probably wouldn't even care if he was in the room - another minute later and they would have been having sex right in front of him. Before he let himself out, they resumed their makeout session. He barely turned his head to look over his shoulder as his hand began to turn the doorknob. "Oh, and happy birthday, Adam!" 

"Mmm..." The tall blond mumbled into Amy's mouth, not bothering to break their kiss, and Jay noticed him make an "okay" gesture with one hand while the other began to move from the redhead's waist down to her butt. 

Jay couldn't help but chuckle a little as he departed the room. God, but they were hot for each other... 

* 

"Okay, so what are we gonna do tonight?" Matt asked Jeff. They were in their locker room, sitting in front of the TV monitor. 

"What do you mean?" the younger man asked. 

"Hello? Earth to Jeff! It's our friend's birthday, remember? We've got to do something to celebrate it with him - _all _of us..." 

"I dunno, Matt...at least about _tonight_..." Jeff replied, running his hand through his colorful locks. "...I mean, I'm sure Adam and Amy have got something special planned." 

"Yeah..." the dark-haired man muttered bitterly, his brown eyes narrowing slightly, "...like an all-night sexorama..." 

"Oh, come on, man - let it _go_...whatever you _think _about the two of them together, they _are _a couple...Whether you like it or whether you don't, Matt - Amy is Adam's _girlfriend_...Accept it." 

Matt didn't reply. His eyes were still reduced to near-slits as he thought furiously. 

Jeff didn't like the look in his brother's eyes one bit. He knew Matt better than just about anyone, and he knew he was cooking up some scheme. His own eyes narrowed suspiciously. 

* 

"Oh, God..." Amy said softly, her breathing quickening by the moment as Adam continued to lavish her most sensitive areas with his warm, moist tongue. She rose her hips a little to meet his oral movements, and he slid his hands beneath her body, lifting her up even more so that her legs were over his shoulders and around his neck. 

"Adam...Oh, _God_..." she cried. She was almost there, could feel the pleasurable sensations just eluding her. Another few seconds and then... 

She suddenly felt her body exploding, and she bit her lip to stifle the scream she felt building up from within. God, he was certainly returning the favor, so to speak. 

The redhead started to move after a moment, pulling her legs from his grasp, and she met his eyes across the leather couch on which they were laying. She didn't have to verbalize what she wanted, as after nearly a year together, the Canadian had learned to red her extremely well. 

Adam repositioned himself so that he hovered just over her, and he smiled down at her, their eye contact never breaking. The diva rose both hands to his face, pulling his head down to hers, and their kiss nearly took his breath away with its intensity. 

The moment he entered her, Amy rose her legs and wrapped them tightly around his waist. She threw her head back and sighed, again biting her lip gently as the blond man pumped in and out of her. 

They'd been going for a few minutes, the redhead having come a couple more times, and Adam felt himself very near that delicious brink when the knock suddenly sounded. 

"Oh, Jesus..." the blond man muttered as softly as he could manage . He didn't stop thrusting into her for a minute. Amy, meanwhile, stared up at him with worried hazel eyes. 

"Hey, Adam? You in there?" 

The redhead's eyes went wide, her jaw dropping with shock. 

Adam frowned for a second, but then his handsome features resumed their original expression. He lifted one hand, placing his forefinger against his lips as he gazed down into his girlfriend's eyes. 

Amy didn't doubt for one second that she wasn't going to listen to him. She could continue doing this and keep quiet - she and Adam had certainly had plenty of practice at it throughout their relationship. 

The blond Canadian smiled slyly, almost wickedly as they ignored Matt Hardy and continued with their lovemaking. 

At first, Amy felt a bit mortified but after awhile, she began to enjoy herself again. She smiled up at Adam as she realized that continuing to do this under such circumstances turned her on even more. 

The blond man seemed to stiffen above her, his entire body rigid as he suddenly came. He had to bite his lip in order to keep silent, and he held tightly to the redhead as he emptied himself deep into her, gently biting one side of her neck as he did. 

Amy clung to him with her arms _and_ legs, reluctant to let go. The knocking just outside on the locker room door had ceased, but somehow, she believed Matt was still out there. 

Both their breathing was hard, but fairly quiet. They lay in one another's arms for another moment or two, trying to collect themselves. 

After a beat, Adam lowered his head to Amy's, and he kissed her tenderly. He didn't think he could love her anymore than he did at that very moment. 

* 

Matt fumed as he walked up the hallway and back to his locker room. _Damn _it! He _knew _they'd been in there! Even though it had grown pretty silent within that room, he _knew _Adam and Amy had been in there together - and he knew they were having sex. He'd heard a distinct, telltale little sounds. 

_Damn him_, Matt thought. _If he does _anything_ to hurt her... _The dark-haired man became furious at the recollection of the fact that the blond man had been screwing Trish Stratus for awhile about a year back. _That _certainly hadn't gone on too long. And then, of course, there was Nora Greenwald before her. Matt couldn't _prove _Adam had been messing with Nora, but his gut told him otherwise. Like the petite Canadian, she too obviously hadn't had a problem with being dropped so quickly. 

The elder Hardy brother frowned. That wasn't quite normal behavior - at least as _he _knew it - for women. But he knew Amy, and he knew her well. By the time Adam decided he'd had enough of her and decided to drop her, the redhead would be crushed. It would _destroy _her. When - not _if _- that happened, for he instinctively knew it _would_ - Matt would be there for the redhead. 

And when _that_ happened, he would make Adam sorry he'd ever even _looked _at her. 

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**Part 21**

**Back**   
  
  
  
  



	21. Fire&IceThe Fine Line Between Love&Hate

  


* * *

As Amy returned to the women's locker room, Adam went to the buffet. He was famished as he grabbed a Subway turkey hero, snatching up a bottle of Poland Spring water as well. 

"Well, well, well..." 

He looked up to see Matt Hardy suddenly standing beside him as he sidled up, also retrieving a bottle of water. 

"Hey, Matt..." 

"Hey..." The dark-haired man studied him, a serious expression on his face. "So, where've you been hiding yourself all night, Adam? I mean, it's your birthday - you should be where everyone can easily find you." 

"I haven't been anywhere special..." 

Matt's dark eyes narrowed. _Oh, so she isn't _special? he thought angrily. Aloud, he said, "Oh...Well, anyway...so, what are all of us guys doin' for your birthday after the taping tonight? How about a strip joint?" He grinned mischievously, swatting the other man in the shoulder. 

The tall blond studied the other man warily. He'd never known Matt to exactly be the type to hang out at strip clubs. Then, he suddenly noticed Amy and Trish had just stepped into the room. 

_Christ_... He realized that, judging by the expression on the redhead's face, she'd heart Matt's question. 

The dark-haired man turned to look just over his shoulder, noting the two divas. Amy appeared to be glaring over at them. Matt smirked a little as he turned back to face Adam. "Well? I don't hear your answer...What's it gonna be, man? Wanna do the strip joint thing tonight?" 

"Nah...I'm not really in the mood," the Canadian replied evenly. "Besides, after that match with Rob, I don't really have all that much energy." 

The dark-haired man stared at him with what Adam considered the oddest expression on his face. He wondered what the hell was going on in Matt's mind. 

"All right, suit yourself...but man, are you a party pooper." 

"Whatever...I'm just not much in the mood...maybe we can all do something on Thursday since we have that day off." 

"Okay - now _there's _an idea," Matt replied. 

Adam chanced a quick glance at Amy out of the corner of his eye. He was sure this was so brief that the other man didn't even notice. 

"All right, man...We'll talk about it. See you later," he said, then left, his water bottle in one hand, the sandwich in the other. 

Matt glanced over at the two women nearby, particularly the redhead, but she wasn't looking his way, and he couldn't read anything on her face at the moment. Without a word to the divas, he too left the buffet. 

The moment he was out of earshot, Trish turned to face Amy. "What the heck was all _that _about?" 

The redhead frowned, shaking her head. "I don't know, Trish...but what I _do _know is that Matt is up to something..." She suddenly gasped, raising her hand up to her mouth. "Oh, God..." 

"What?" her friend asked as she eyed her with concerned brown eyes. 

Amy shifted her eyes to meet Trish's. "I think he _knows_..." 

"You really think so?" 

"Maybe..." The redhead's frown deepened as she thought about the conversation Matt had just had with her boyfriend. Judging by the entire strip club thing, it was very possible that he _did _know about her and Adam. Damn it... If he tried anything stupid, or tried to break them up... 

* 

Adam sat in his locker room a bit later to catch Amy's match. She was in a six-person mixed tag team contest that saw Lita and the Hardy Boyz against Stacy Keibler and the Dudleys. 

For the most part, the match was okay, and the tall blond man didn't really feel as though he had to worry about his girlfriend. Stacy, with whom Amy had been becoming friendly in the last couple of months, took obvious care not to land any kicks or punches to the other diva's face. Clearly, the leggy blonde didn't want to aggravate the already very noticeable bruises on the redhead's countenance. 

"Hey," Jay said as he entered the room. He closed the door and came to sit near Adam on the couch. "Aha...why does it not surprise me that you're so entranced in front of the TV monitor during _this _match?" He chuckled. 

At the very moment, Lita was in the ring with Stacy. The blonde diva was no match for the tough redhead, who flung her around the ring like a ragdoll. However, Stacy managed a spinning heelkick with one of those extra-long legs of hers. 

Adam didn't have anything to worry about until toward the very end of the bout. Amy was standing on the apron, and Buh-Buh Ray whipped Matt into the ropes - and in the process, the Hardy Boy knocked right into the redhead, sending her sailing to the arena floor. 

"Oh, man!" the Canadian cried, afraid his girlfriend might have hit her head into the announcers' table. 

Although this was a part of the script, Adam was still annoyed. Amy had gotten banged up pretty badly last night, and now this happened, and he was concerned about her possibly getting injured. She'd insisted she was all right after RAW the previous night, but what about now? If her head hit the table hard enough, she could be seriously hurt. 

The blond man stood up and raised both hands to his head as he continued to watch the action. Jeff had gone over to the outside to check on the redhead, leaving his older brother alone in the ring with both Dudley Boyz. The match ended with a 3D on Matt. 

"Oh, well..." Jay said with a shrug. He glanced over his shoulder at his best friend. "Hey, you okay, man?" 

"Yeah, I am...but _she'd _better be." He frowned, thinking that he might just go and have a little 'talk' with Matt about the bumps he was giving Amy - and in the process, although inadvertent, let the dark-haired man know about his relationship with the redhead. He couldn't help wondering suspiciously about the two mishaps between Matt and Amy. What if the elder Hardy was being a little more forceful than he needed to be because of his bitterness over knowing she had a "secret" boyfriend? 

"She looks all right to me, Adam," Jay said. 

"A black eye looks 'all right' to you?!" 

"Well...that's the nature of wrestling," the other man pointed out. "You can't expect _anyone _to come out of _all _their matches without a scratch..._or _a bruise." 

Adam chewed on his lower lip as he thought about what his best friend had just said. Then, raking a hand through his long blond hair, he said, "Yeah, you're right...I can't help it, though. Two nights in a row of stuff like this happening to her - it's too much." 

Jay eyed the taller man knowingly. Adam looked keyed up enough to go after Matt Hardy and punch his lights out for the last couple of little "mishaps" with the redhead. 

"I'm going to go see her," he announced as he strode toward the door. The Canadian stepped out into the hallway and made his way to the women's locker room. He knocked tentatively, hoping that Trish Stratus was in there for the moment. 

To Adam's surprise, Amy herself was the diva who answered the door. She looked up at him with surprise, glancing quickly over her shoulder at the other women who were inside the room, then quickly slipped out into the hall. 

"Hi..." she said with a smile. "I just got back here." 

"Are you...are you okay?" the tall blond asked, his eyes full of concern. "I saw what happened out there." 

"Yeah, I'm fine." She glanced around furtively, a feeling of paranoia going through her. "...look," she said, lowering her voice to a whisper, "I'll meet you back at the hotel, okay? My room..." She gave him a little wink. 

"Okay." He desperately wanted to kiss her, but as it was, they were taking enough chances talking like this out in the hallway. 

"See you later." 

Adam stealthily slipped away as the diva went back into the locker room. 

* 

Amy looked up as the door to her hotel room was suddenly opened, and Adam stepped in, a keycard in his right hand. 

"Hi, birthday boy." The redhead smiled at him as he came over to the bed on which she was relaxing, holding her arms open to him. 

In an instant, the blond Canadian man was all over her, and he tightened his arms around her waist as they kissed. Amy's arms went around his neck, and she moved her hands so that they were in his long, soft hair. 

After a moment, the redhead pulled back a bit and smiled as she gazed up into his green eyes. "I have a surprise for you..." 

"Yeah?" He grinned at her. 

"Yeah..." she bit her lip gently as her smile broadened. "...I think you're going to like this...it's half-birthday, half-anniversary present." As he arched an eyebrow, she continued. "You and I have the rest of the week off." 

"What? How is that possible?" he asked. 

"I spoke to Stephanie last week," Amy admitted. "Okay, I _told _her about us...and I explained what I had in mind, and our situation, and...well, she agreed to let us take some time off, starting tomorrow. And...we can go wherever we want, Adam." 

The blond's emerald eyes lit up as he gazed at her, a smile taking residence on his face again. "Wow...that's awesome!" He lowered his lips to hers to give her a quick kiss, then raised his head again. "Where do you want to go?" 

"I don't care," she replied, lifting one hand to his face, gently caressing his cheek. "As long as I'm with _you_, I'm in paradise." 

Adam grinned even more widely. God, he loved this woman. Now, if only he could garner up the nerve to actually _tell _her he loved her... "You're amazing, baby," he said softly. He rolled over, his arms still around her waist, so that she was the one on top. He held her head down to his and kissed her intensely, and the redhead kissed him back fervently. 

In his mind, nothing could be more perfect. Nearly an entire week alone, away from prying eyes and gossip - this was the nicest gift she could have given him. And he intended to make it a present to remember - for _both _of them. 

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**Part 22**

**Back**   
  
  
  
  



	22. Fire&IceThe Fine Line Between Love&Hate

  


* * *

_RAW, November 12, 2001_

Amy bit her lip as she sat back in the women's locker room. 

She was glued in front of the TV monitor, nearly holding her breath in anticipation as Kurt Angle stood in the ring. The Olympian held a microphone up to his lips and was berating Stone Cold Steve Austin and the fans in the crowd. 

As Angle continuously insisted that Austin come out to give him an apology for stunning him the previous week, very familiar music began to play - and Amy's face broadened in a soft smile as Edge began to walk down the ramp to the ring instead of the Rattlesnake. 

The redhead's heart swelled with love for the tall, handsome blond Canadian man. They'd just returned after nearly a week off, and their first official vacation together had been splendid. 

They'd gone to Fort Lauderdale, her birthplace and hometown, and she'd brought Adam to meet her parents. 

She smiled as she recalled her mother's reaction to him. Naturally, as her mom watched the WWF, she knew who he was, but she was surprised to learn that Amy had been in a relationship with him, and for so long at that. At one point, when Adam had been out of earshot, she had nudged her daughter and said, with a grin, "Ooh, Amy...he's _gorgeous_! And such a sweetheart!" 

Now, she watched as Edge slid into the ring to face Angle, a mic in his own hand, and after letting Kurt know that he was nothing more than "a red, white and blue - but most importantly, _yellow_, coward," the blond man challenged him for the U.S. title - right then and there. 

The match was quickly underway after Angle arrogantly claimed to have taught Edge "all he knows," beginning fast and furiously as the Canadian delivered a dropkick. 

The tide shifted a few minutes later when Kurt caught Adam with a belly-to-belly suplex, tossing him over the top rope. Amy winced as she saw her boyfriend's landing - the way he landed, she feared he might have very well injured a knee or ankle. 

The advantage went back to Edge when the self-proclaimed Olympic Hero missed a moonsault. The Canadian battered him with a clothesline and some punches and knife-edged chops in the corner until Kurt finally got him with the Olympic Slam. But instead of going for the cover, Angle slapped on the Ankle Lock - only to quickly release the hold on Edge when Kane's music started blasting throughout the arena. 

"Oh, yes...come on, baby!" the redhead spoke in a loud whisper as she saw her boyfriend crouched in the opposite side of the ring from the distracted Olympian. Then, Angle turned around - right into a spear. One, two, three, and it was over. 

Amy felt a burst of joy as Edge was declared the winner and brand new U.S. champion. What a way to start their return after the beautiful vacation they'd had together. Oh, they would be celebrating this, no doubt. 

Soon after, the diva looked up at the knocking on the door. 

"Come in!" 

The door opened, and Jeff stuck his blue head in. "You ready, Ames?" 

The Hardys would be facing Booker T and Test for a shot at the Tag Team titles in the next few minutes. 

"Yeah...I was just watching..." Her voice trailed off, her hazel eyes sparkling as she glanced back at the TV monitor. 

"Ahh..." The younger Hardy nodded knowingly, giving her a small smile. "That was a really great win." 

Amy stood up and strode over to the door to leave with him. She glanced around the immediate area, glad to note that Matt wasn't around. She asked Jeff where he was. 

"Over by the curtain," the colorful-haired man replied. "Come on." 

As they made their way over there, Jeff asked, "So, how was your time off?" 

The redhead beamed. "Oh, it was great," she said. "We went to Florida. Adam met my parents." 

"Your parents, huh? Sounds serious." 

She smiled some more. "I really love him. And I honestly can't imagine my life without him." 

"Wow..." Jeff said with wonder. "Who would've thought? I mean, you guys used to _hate _each other - I thought you were like natural enemies." 

The diva chuckled softly. "Oh, we had an awesome time. After my parents' place, we went to this little bed and breakfast place right on the beach..." 

"Okay, okay...I don't want specific _details_, Ames, - because I know what you guys _did_ to spend your vacation together - hell, you two probably never left your room once - but I'm glad you had such a great time." 

"Fair enough," she replied with a grin. Her guard suddenly went up as they neared Matt. She narrowed her eyes as she saw that the dark-haired man was talking with Adam, who had evidently just returned from the ring, the U.S. championship belt draped over his right shoulder. She exchanged quick glances with Jeff, who merely raised an eyebrow and shrugged. 

"Again, man, great win!" Matt was saying. "Cool that you got to win _this _title so soon after losing the Intercontinental belt." 

"Yeah," Adam said with a grin. "It feels really good to be able to do that." 

"Hey, congratulations, man," Jeff piped. He held out his right hand for the tall blond man to shake. 

The Canadian put his hand in the younger Hardy brother's, shaking it. "Thanks." He glanced at the redhead at the man's side, doing his best to make it look cursory. Amy, on the other hand, deliberately kept her head turned away from him as though to avoid looking at him. Well, they had to do this sort of thing to keep throwing Matt off their trail. 

He smirked as a thought suddenly popped into his head. Why not have fun with this if they had to act this way in front of the elder Hardy Boy? 

"Hey, skank!" 

The redhead turned her head slowly in his direction, her hazel eyes examining him almost questioningly. 

"Yeah, I'm talking to _you_..." 

Amy's eyes widened just a bit as she stared at him. 

"Aren't you going to congratulate me? Or are you so self-absorbed you can't even do _that_?" 

"Why _should _I congratulate you? It's not like you even beat Angle on your _own _- Kane's music helped you," she countered with a smirk of her own. 

The tall blond laughed at that, and not having any response in mind, he let it slide. Then, turning to the Hardys, he said, "Okay, guys...have a good match. See you later." With that, he proceeded to walk down the hall to his locker room. He laughed again as he was several feet away, his laughter trailing after him. 

Matt cocked his head as he regarded Amy suspiciously. 

The redhead swallowed hard as she met the dark-haired man's eyes. He knew... She just _knew _that he knew... 

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**Part 23**

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	23. Fire&IceThe Fine Line Between Love&Hate

  


* * *

Amy returned to the women's locker room after the Hardys' match. She'd been thrilled, as Matt and Jeff had gotten the victory - and after she'd delivered a hurricanrana to Booker T when the referee's back was turned, at that - and the tag team titles along with it. 

She and Jeff had embraced with delight, and she had noticed that Matt was staring at her suspiciously. She'd tried not to let it bother her, not to think about it - but as soon as they'd gotten backstage, she'd felt the need to get away. 

She raked both hands through her long auburn hair as she sat on the black leather couch, trying to collect herself. 

"Hey, are you all right?" 

The redhead looked up to see Trish standing beside the couch, a look of concern on the blonde woman's face. 

"Yeah...I guess so," she replied. 

"What's wrong?" Trish asked. She sat down beside her friend. 

"Two words," Amy told her. "Matt Hardy..." 

"Oh...I hear you. He's still on your case, huh?" 

"Yeah...and I doubt he'll ever just leave it alone - like he _should_." 

"Don't let him intimidate you," the petite blonde stated. "Be strong." 

"I will," Amy promised, a weak smile coming to her face. "Adam and I even had a silly little spat in front of him before the tag match. I don't think it worked this time, though. He looked _so _unconvinced - but..._whatever_." She stood up. "I have to go congratulate Adam for real." 

"Okay," the little Canadian said with a small smile. "See you later." 

* 

Adam ran his hand through his damp long blond hair as he went to answer the door. His eyes lit up as he saw her standing there. 

"Hi." She smiled at his appearance - his damp hair, blue jeans, and his black shirt still unbuttoned, giving her a deliciously alluring view of his gorgeous chest and abs. 

The tall Canadian gently pulled Amy into the room by her hand, shutting the door behind her. In an instant, his hands were at her waist, his intense eyes locked with hers, and he gently pressed her up against the door, lowering his mouth to hers. 

_God... _Whenever he kissed her, touched her, every one of her senses seemed to be heightened. The passion and intensity between them was like a livewire - always had been. Oh, God... She loved him so very much. She just wanted to consume him, and for him to consume her, the way a flame would meld with a candle, melting together. 

She moved her arms a bit, her hands unclasping from behind his neck to tangle into his soft gold hair. She pulled back slightly so as to gaze up into his emerald eyes with a gentle expression on her lovely face. 

"Congratulations on your U.S. title win earlier, by the way." 

Adam chuckled, his face pressed into her fragrant hair. 

"Thanks...sorry about putting you on the spot before," he said with a half-smile. 

"I'm pretty sure Matt knows about us, Adam..." As he gazed down into her face almost questioningly, she nodded. "...I'm convinced he definitely knows now." 

"Who _cares _about Matt Hardy?" the blond said. "Amy, the only thing that matters to me is _you_." 

She smiled, her hazel eyes sparkling as she gently pulled his head down to hers, and their kiss was even more passionate this time around. 

After a moment, the tall Canadian lifted his head from hers, a sweet smile on his handsome face. He reached for her hand, placing a tender kiss on the back of it before speaking. 

"Since we're both finished for the night here, what do you say we split?" 

"Sounds good to me," she said, and their hands still clasped, she ran the pad of her thumb over the side of his much larger hand. "Wait - isn't your appearance at Rob Zombie's concert supposed to be aired tonight?" 

"Oh, yeah, that's right!" Adam said. 

Two weeks earlier, he had attended a Rob Zombie concert while in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and had been onstage singing some backup vocals during his new theme song, "Never Gonna Stop." 

He'd wanted Amy to accompany him to the show, and she'd wanted to go with him as well, but for appearance's sake, she hadn't gone. Instead, Jay had attended the concert with him and had stayed in the audience while Adam had been onstage. 

"We can catch the rest of RAW back at the hotel," he suggested as he released her hand to wrap his arms around her again, nuzzling her neck a little. "I think they were going to be playing that later in the show." 

"Okay," she said softly, a tiny smile touching her lips. 

"Well, we can watch it if we're not too busy doing something _else_," the Canadian said, moving his hands from the redhead's waist to her face. 

As she giggled softly, he said, "Well, at least we can still _listen _to it." He placed his lips on hers again, his tongue slipping between her teeth and prodding at her own. 

Amy held tightly to him, her arms tightening around his neck. God, she loved this man. As she'd told Jeff, she couldn't imagine her life without him. 

  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**Part 24**

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	24. Fire&IceThe Fine Line Between Love&Hate

  


* * *

Amy smiled as she watched Adam onstage with Rob Zombie on the TV in their hotel room. As they'd discussed while still at the arena, they had put the rest of RAW on. 

"Cool...you gave Rob the belt!" She laughed at the sight of the heavy metal singer holding onto what was at the time still Edge's Intercontinental championship. 

He glanced down his body at her, as she was laying with her head on his chest, and smiled. 

"Hey...now that I think about it," she said, lifting her head to look down into his eyes with a cute little pout, "you never let _me _hold that belt!" 

Adam chuckled. "I'll let you hold the U.S. belt, okay? That's just as good..." 

The redhead repositioned herself, throwing one leg over him and straddling him. "Come to think of it, I'd rather hold _you_." 

He made a soft grumbling sound deep in his throat. "You'll get no complaint from me." The blond man ran his hands up the diva's back, sliding his warm fingers up underneath her shirt as he gently pulled her down to him. He kissed her with all his heart and soul, beginning softly, but then his lips became more firm and demanding. 

The redhead kissed him back, a soft sigh escaping her as his moist tongue spiraled around hers. _Oh, God... _She felt as though she could just melt in his touch. 

Adam groaned softly as he felt his lower body respond, and he throbbed against the soft denim of his worn blue jeans, against Amy's crotch as she continued to straddle him. He moaned a little louder as he suddenly felt her hand rubbing at him through his jeans. 

He nibbled on her earlobe, his breath hot and coming fast as the redhead seemed to press her lower body more tightly against him. God, he felt like he could explode. He gently turned her head to his to meet her lips again, and they kissed more passionately than ever. 

_I love you_, the Canadian thought furiously. He wanted in the _worst _way to say the words to her, but they wouldn't come. 

The redhead let out a soft moan as she continued to rub against Adam's erection, and she threw her head back a bit, her eyes closed, a look of near-ecstasy on her face. 

The blond man repositioned himself so that he was on his knees before her, and he pulled at her shirt, lifting it over her head. She bit her lip as she gazed up into his eyes, and her heart was in her hazel orbs. The redhead reached for his shirt in turn, and Adam helped her take it off of him, his gaze never wavering from hers. Next, her hands went to the button and zipper of his jeans, and he stood up to undo them. At the same time, while she slipped out of her cargos, he reached down to undo her front-close bra, easily slipping the lingerie down her arms, freeing her breasts. 

Amy now had his jeans undone and pushed them down, and he stepped out of them, then let out a gasp as her hand was touching him through his briefs. 

"Mmm...baby..." 

The diva bit her lip as she raised her gaze to his slightly glazed emerald eyes, a smile coming to her lips as an idea came to her. She lowered her eyes before her, sliding her hands behind him and grabbing at the waistband of his briefs, pulling them down slowly. 

Adam moved his hands to her breasts, caressing them and running his fingers gently over the nipples as she suddenly moved forward, licking his shaft slowly and eliciting a moan from him. 

_Oh, God_... And then, she moved her hands back again to grip his firm buttocks, and she took his length into her warm, velvety mouth. He felt as though he were in heaven. 

"Oh, God..." He tilted his head back as she continued to lavish him with that lovely mouth of hers, her tongue and teeth coming into play as well. Oh, she was doing things to him that sent every one of his nerve endings alive and alert. 

He continued to concentrate on her breasts with his fingers, gently but firmly gripping the nipple of the left one and kneading and rubbing it. She began to moan softly with him still in her mouth. 

Just when the blond man thought he'd be able to hold out no longer, he moved back so that he slipped from between her lips. Then, as she gazed up into his eyes, he smiled, then lowered himself to his knees on the floor so that he could remove her thong. Afterward, he pushed her thighs apart and pressed his face between them. 

"Oh, God..." The redhead instantly began to move against him as his tongue spiraled around her super-sensitive clitoris, and she leaned forward, gripping his blond head as pleasurable sensations shot through her. "Oh, my God..." Amy held her breath, feeling as though she might come at any second. She wanted it to happen with him inside of her. 

"Adam...I want you inside of me - now." 

He lifted his head and gave her a sweet, yet somewhat devilish smile, then gently pushed her back on the bed, pressing his lips against hers. She found it odd to be tasting herself as they kissed. 

Afterward, the Canadian pushed one of her legs aside a bit so he could enter her. He slid slowly yet very easily into her, and she let out a soft gasp as she felt him fill her completely. He lowered his lips to hers again as he began to move slowly within her. The diva kissed him fervently as she grabbed hold of his buttocks again, trying to draw him more deeply into her, and Adam took her cue and began to thrust harder, faster. 

Within minutes, the redhead began to move against him, grinding her hips as best she could with his weight on top of her, and she let out a cry as her orgasm started. 

The blond man gazed intensely down into her face, wanting to see her - _needing _to see her as she came - and he felt the ecstasy take hold of him as well. He lowered his head so that his forehead met hers and moaned loudly as he emptied himself within her. 

After a moment, he slipped out of her, laying his head on her breasts as he tried to catch his breath. 

Amy smiled as she played with a lock of his long blond hair, which was slightly damp with sweat as a result of their lovemaking. She couldn't help but find it ironic that, as Adam had joked earlier, they _hadn't _gotten through watching his appearance onstage with Rob Zombie after all. But this had been so much better. Besides, he was supposed to get a tape of that show within the next couple of weeks. 

After awhile, they switched positions, so that the Canadian was the one lying on his back against the pillows, and the diva lay her head on his chest. The soft, steady lull of his heartbeat was soothing to her, and she began to drift off into a peaceful sleep. 

Adam glanced down at her as he realized her breathing was deep and regular, and he smiled as he watched her sleep. He wondered how he had ever spent his life without her, and his heart swelled with all the tenderness he felt toward her. 

"I love you, Amy Dumas," he whispered to the redhead's sleeping form, and she shifted slightly on him but did not waken. He moved his face closer to hers and placed a soft kiss on her forehead. 

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**Part 25**

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	25. Fire&IceThe Fine Line Between Love&Hate

  


* * *

_Survivor Series, November 18, 2001_

Amy laughed as she watched Adam during his interview with Jonathan Coachman before the match for the unification of the U.S. and Intercontinental titles. She immensely enjoyed his hilarious impression of Test. 

As she watched the match, the redhead tried her best not to let her true emotions show, as she was not alone in the women's locker room. Although Trish was there and of course knew - at the moment, Jacqueline, Ivory and Nora Greenwald - three of the women she and the little blonde would be competing with for the Women's title - were also there. She didn't want to give any of them a clue, knowing how rampant gossip seemed to spread among the divas - and, inevitably, it always made its way to the male wrestlers as well. 

She was glued to the TV monitor as the action went back and forth. Test actually hit Edge with a spear, his _own_ move, and went for the cover, but fortunately, only got a two-count. Before long, Edge ended up winning when he reversed the larger man in a roll-up. 

Amy's heart swelled with joy and love as she watched Adam make his way up the ramp, both belts held up to his face as he kissed the gold. He'd had a fantastic match, and the redhead felt proud. 

She bit her lip, a feeling of great anxiousness going through her as she wanted to go to the man she loved - at that very moment, as she felt she couldn't wait. The urge was _that _great. She stood up, her heart pounding as she suddenly exchanged glances with Trish, who smiled and gave her a discreet, knowing wink. As she stealthily slipped from the room, Amy hoped none of the other women noticed anything unusual about her demeanor. 

The redhead glanced around the hallway warily as she approached her boyfriend's locker room. Rather than knocking, she tried the knob and found the door unlocked. 

Amy slipped into the room, and Adam looked up, a smile instantly coming to his face as he made his way over to her. 

"Way to go, baby," she said softly as their gazes locked. "You were awesome." 

He wrapped his arms around her waist, a soft chuckle escaping him as he lifted her off her feet and swung her around a little. 

"Thank you." The blond man nuzzled one side of her neck as he carried her over by the black leather couch across the room. 

After a beat, Amy moved a bit so that her lips just brushed over his, and the desire in the tall Canadian's eyes was clearly evident. He lowered her just a bit to devour her lips with his own, and their kiss was so intense, the redhead felt as though her head was actually spinning. 

When their breathless kiss finally came to an end, his breathing slightly heavy, Adam set the diva back on her feet. He chuckled, his emerald eyes sparkling. "Don't move from this spot..." 

As she obeyed, the blond man went around to the arm of the couch on the other side and returned to stand directly behind her. And suddenly, Amy realized he was wrapping the Intercontinental championship belt around her waist. 

"That looks cool!" she exclaimed excitedly, glancing down at herself. She held her breath, her eyes closing at the pleasant sensation of one of Adam's arms wrapped around her waist, his other hand at her face as he gently turned her head a bit to kiss her again. 

_Oh, God_... Amy nearly lost her breath as she felt him growing hard against her, his erection pressing into the small of her back. 

She moved the belt from her waist, placing it on the back of the couch in front of her, then turned around in his embrace. She held his head down to hers, fingers curling into his long blond locks. 

Adam ran his hands all over Amy as they continued kissing, sliding them up her back and then down to her buttocks. He backed her against the nearby wall, growing ever more passionate and aroused, wanting nothing more than to make love to her right here and now - but she had a match coming up later on, and she was already dressed for it. Nonetheless, he raised his right hand to her left breast, eliciting a soft moan from her... 

And then, he turned his head sharply in the direction of the door as he heard it suddenly open. 

"Oops, sorry man." Drew stood in the doorway. "I just wanted to congratulate you. We had a great-" The big man cut his words off and nearly did a double-take as he was backing out of the room. "Whoa! You and..._you_?" he asked incredulously as he finally caught sight of the woman in Adam's arms. He hadn't immediately seen who she was because the blond man's body had blocked his view of her. 

"Shut the door - quick," Adam ordered, and Drew hesitated for a second as he gave his friend a strange look - but he did as he was told, realizing how serious the older man's expression and voice had seemed. 

Amy bit her lip nervously as her boyfriend drew her to his side, his arm around her waist almost protectively, and perhaps even possessively. 

"Yes," the blond man said. "Yeah, Drew - we're _together_." He moved so that he was again behind the redhead, his arms wrapping securely around her again. The diva allowed herself to sink into his touch as she eyed the surprised young man who had just discovered about them. 

"Please keep this to yourself," Adam said as he held Amy tightly against him. "Hardly anyone knows about us, and for now, we'd prefer it that way." 

"Wait a minute," Drew said. "How long have you two...?" 

"Just over a year, on and off for the first couple of months," the other man replied, and Amy noted the further surprise registering on Drew's face. She didn't say a word to contribute, deciding instead to just let Adam continue handling this one on his own. 

"_That_ long? Wow," the young man said, his eyebrows quirked up in surprise. "Well, okay...if you guys don't want anyone to know about you two - mum's the word as far as I'm concerned." 

Adam smiled, as did the redhead, who placed her hands on his arms, which were still clasped around her. 

"Thanks a lot, Drew," he said. "We really appreciate it." 

The taller man gave them a nod before backing toward the door. "Sorry again for the interruption - go on with what you were doing before my intrusion." He stepped out, closing the door behind him. 

The moment the door clicked shut, Adam pressed his face into the side of the redhead's face, planting kisses on her cheek and along her jawline, then moving his lips to her neck. 

"Adam...Adam..." The diva gently unentangled his arms from around her, and the man made a soft sound of protest as he reached for her again. 

"Baby...I should go." 

"Aww, Ames..." 

"I have a match to prepare for, sweetie. But afterward, you can have me all you want," she promised, a soft smile playing at her lips. 

A huge grin spread across Adam's handsome face as he gazed deeply into her eyes. "I'm going to hold you to that, you know..." 

"I know," she replied with a mischievous grin. 

"Great..." The tall Canadian lowered his head to hers for one last kiss before allowing her to leave.   


  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**Part 26**

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	26. Fire&IceThe Fine Line Between Love&Hate

  


* * *

_SmackDown taping, November 20, 2001_

"Oh, I am so totally not looking forward to this," Trish said as she and Amy stood in front of the vanity in the women's locker room. 

The petite blonde Canadian, who had become the new Women's champion at the Survivor Series a few days earlier, would be competing in the first-ever Thanksgiving "Gravy Bowl" match against Stacy Keibler. 

"I can't say I blame you," the redhead said, wrinkling her nose with distaste. "I just wonder if I'd be having to do that tonight instead of you had _I _won that match the other night..." 

"Nah, I doubt it," Trish said. "As I said when we were discussing this topic a few months ago, I think it's us blondes who always have to suffer through this kind of crap." She laughed sarcastically. "It's weird - you would think that now that I know what I'm doing in the ring, I'd be taken more seriously...but here I am, competing in another stupid gimmick match tonight. You know, even my little feud with Stephanie was better than this...At least we didn't have to roll around in a tub of gravy." 

"Yeah," Amy said, and her face broke into a teasing smile, "even if you _did _have to roll around in chocolate." 

"Well, yeah," the blonde replied with a small grin of her own. Then, changing the subject, she asked, "So, what are you doing for Thanksgiving?" 

"Well, since we don't have off, I guess a bunch of us'll be having a little dinner party," the redhead replied as she ran the fingers of her right hand through her hair. "Of course, last year, I was home for Thanksgiving after getting cut open by Lisa's boot." She was referring to the previous Survivor Series match in which she'd tried to regain the Women's title from Ivory, whom had then been part of Right to Censor. Instead of doing so, she'd caught her opponent's boot right above her left eye, requiring eleven stitches. _That _had certainly not been any fun. In fact, it had been downright miserable. 

Amy grew quiet at these thoughts, as she recalled that event had taken place only a couple of weeks after the very first time she and Adam had been together. At the time, she'd been pretending it had never happened, wanting to forget all about it, push it to the farthest recesses of her mind - where, at the time, she'd felt it belonged. It was amazing how vastly different things could become given time. 

"Are you okay?" Trish was suddenly asking her. The petite Canadian put a gentle hand on her shoulder. 

The redhead met her friend's chocolate-brown gaze in the mirror, a smile gently touching her lips. 

"Yeah, I was just-" 

"Thinking about Adam," Trish finished for her. She smiled. "Yeah, I _know _you." 

The taller diva blinked, her smile waning as she grew a little serious. "Trish, can I...confide something in you?" 

"Sure." 

"I...It's just that..." Amy bit her lip, choosing her words carefully. "Well, sometimes I can't believe Adam and I have been together this long. I mean, the way we started out - I was sure it was strictly going to be sex and nothing more between us, but...Well, you _know_ I love him..." 

"Of course," the little blonde said with a nod. 

"Well, the problem is...I...I honestly am not sure if he loves me back." There, she'd finally admitted to the nagging insecurities she always seemed to feel and could never quite shake. 

"What? How can you say that?" Trish asked. "Amy, it's _so _obvious that he loves you!" 

"But...he's never actually _said _it," the redhead admitted nervously. 

"He hasn't?" The blonde actually felt puzzled by that one. Then, she shook her head, her eyes rolling heavenward. "Oh, that's just _men _for you - they're always like that. Can't admit their feelings - well, for some, it's easier, but for others...Trust me, Amy - you have one of the _others_." 

"You really think so?" 

"For sure," Trish replied. "So, you've said it to him, but he hasn't said it back?" 

"Well, no...not exactly," the redhead said. "The only time I _did _say it to him, he was sound asleep." 

The Canadian woman chuckled, unable to help herself. As her friend eyed her questioningly, she spoke again. "Then you're just as big a chicken as _he _is." 

Amy shrugged. "I guess I'm just _traditional _in that sense," she said. "Don't get me wrong, Trish - I don't buy into all that garbage that women shouldn't make the first move - but saying those three little words is a whole different ballgame." She moved away from the vanity table and started for the door. "Anyway, I've got to go meet Jeff and Matt for our spot a little later. Good luck in your 'match.'" 

"Thanks," Trish replied as she tugged the hem of the skirt of the skintight black dress she was wearing for what would prove to be very humiliating - not only for herself, but for Stacy as well. She watched Amy slip out the door in the mirror. 

When her friend was gone, the blonde woman shook her head almost sadly. "I don't think it's that simple, my friend...I think you _are _a little insecure - which means you're with your perfect match..." _Yes_, Trish thought, arching an eyebrow as she checked her makeup one last time, _you and Adam are a perfect fit._

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**Part 27**

**Back**   
  
  
  
  



	27. Fire&IceThe Fine Line Between Love&Hate

  


* * *

Adam watched the TV monitor in his and Jay's locker room as they awaited their match later on. That night, it would be Edge against Christian, and both men were looking forward to it. 

The tall blond was pulling on his wrestling boots when he suddenly heard the voices of Matt and Jeff Hardy - and then Amy's soft, feminine voice joined their Southern, masculine tones. 

"Hey, look at this," he said as he raised his gaze to the screen. The two brothers were arguing, Lita standing between them, a look of dismay on her face in Team Xtreme's evening's segment. 

Jay came over to sit near him on the couch. "Oh, yeah...It's too bad they're being split up." 

The other man nodded. "Yeah...but you know what?" He finished with his boots and raised one hand to his head to run his fingers through his long blond locks, eyeing his best friend. "Not to sound selfish or anything, but in a way, I'm kind of glad that's happening - maybe Matt will lay off Amy a little if they're no longer going to be working together." 

"I wouldn't bet on it," Jay said. He recalled what Adam had told him back during late August, after SummerSlam - that Matt had virtually accused the redhead of sneaking around with Chris Jericho, Drew Martin, his own brother and even _him_. Odd how he'd never even suspected Adam. 

"That guy doesn't give up easy." 

"Actually, Amy thinks he already knows about us." 

"Yeah? And what do _you _think about that?" his friend questioned. 

"Quite frankly," Adam replied, "I don't care. Personally, I don't care _who _knows about us. She doesn't owe anything to Matt Hardy - he's not her boyfriend, _I _am," he said, pointing a finger at himself. "He only plays that role on TV. All that matters to me is Amy, and how we feel about each other - how I feel about her." 

His best friend arched an eyebrow. He'd never heard the taller blond speak quite so openly about his relationship with the beautiful redhead. 

"And how exactly _do _you feel about her?" he asked curiously. 

The taller man's face softened into a soft smile at the question. "That's pretty simple...not that my feelings for Amy are _simple_, mind you - but to sum it all up...I love her." 

Jay regarded him silently for a moment, then spoke. "Wow...that's great. Does she know? I mean, have you _said _it to her yet?" he question, unknowingly posing basically the same question to Adam that Trish Stratus had asked Amy earlier that evening. 

Adam raked his hand through his hair, suddenly feeling uncomfortable. "No," he admitted. "I _want _to, but..." 

"No need to explain, man...I totally get it." After a beat, Jay suggested, "Why don't you find some other way to tell her?" 

"Huh?" 

"I mean, find another way," he repeated. "Do it in a way that you don't have to actually _speak _the words - at least that first time." 

The tall Canadian arched an eyebrow, comprehending his best friend's meaning. 

"Not a bad idea," he admitted. 

* 

Amy held her breath as she made her way down the hall to Adam's locker room. His match had taken place and ended just a few minutes earlier, and she'd been worried for him. 

She couldn't help it. Although the blond man had been in the ring against Jay, his best friend on the planet, and Drew had been the one to run in and interfere - the young man known in the squared circle as Test was one of the most gentle and careful workers she'd ever had the privilege of working with - she was terribly afraid that Adam had been hurt. 

The redhead bit her lip as she arrived at the door to her boyfriend's locker room. Without hesitation, she lifted her hand and knocked sharply. 

The door opened, and Jay smiled out at her. "Hey, Amy." The man's smile disappeared as the young woman stepped past him and rushed over to Adam, who was sitting on the couch, looking a bit exhausted. 

"Adam...Oh, baby...Are you all right?" She sat down beside him, a look of concern on her lovely face. 

The tall blond fixed his gaze on her. "Yeah, I'm all right, sweetie." He suddenly realized just how worried she appeared to be. "Ames?" 

"Are you sure you're okay? You took quite a few nasty bumps out there," she said, her hand going up to his face. 

Jay stood near the door, trying not to stare at them, but the redhead looked over at him, her facial expression transforming to one of anger as she did so. "What's the _matter _with you?" she cried. 

The shorter Canadian suddenly realized she was talking to _him_, and he glanced at her. "What are you talking about?" 

"Why the hell did you have to kick him like that?" she demanded, referring to the low blow he'd delivered from behind to her boyfriend while the referee's back had been turned. 

"Oh, don't worry about it, Amy," Jay said. "I'm sure he can still get it up - don't worry, you'll still be getting some tonight." He chuckled. 

"Stop it!" Amy cried. "I'm serious! And what about that Unprettier on the chair?" She was actually amazed that Adam hadn't been busted open. 

"I only did what I was supposed to do," he replied innocently. "Do you honestly think I'd ever want to really hurt my best friend? Come on, you know how it is." 

"The only thing I 'know' is that this man is obviously hurting right now!" 

The blond man who was still standing felt badly at the sudden realization that the diva was actually very close to tears. The only time he'd ever known her to be this upset and emotional about Adam after a match had been during Unforgiven, when his best friend had been busted open under his left eye. God... It was so obvious exactly how much this woman loved his best friend. Jay couldn't help feeling a bit envious of the other man because of that kind of devotion and love. 

"Ames...baby, chill," the man beside her said softly. "I'm okay." He reached out and put his arm around her waist, pulling her against him. "Come here..." 

"Are you sure?" The redhead's intense gaze was fixed on him, her expression still one of concern. 

"Of course I'm sure. Now, come here," the tall blond said, and he moved his other hand to her face as his lips met hers. 

Jay watched them for a beat, his heart actually hurting somewhat as he thought about how much the two of them obviously loved each other. Then, he said, "All right, you two - I can take a hint. Please - I beg of you - _whatever_ you do, don't start having sex until I'm out of here..." 

The redhead giggled as they were still kissing, then tried to pull away to reply to the man, but Adam wouldn't let her. His lips only grew more demanding, and he raised a hand to wave to his best friend. 

Jay chuckled and ducked out the door, leaving the lovebirds alone. 

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**Part 28**

**Back**   
  
  
  
  



	28. Fire&IceThe Fine Line Between Love&Hate

  


* * *

Amy returned to the women's locker room still a little upset, although not to the extent of a bit earlier. 

As she was stepping into the room, a freshly showered and shampooed Stacy Keibler nearly collided with her as she was leaving. 

"Oops! Sorry, Amy," the tall, leggy blonde said. 

"No problem, Stacy," the redhead said, and she suddenly realized Torrie Wilson was just beyond the doorway, following the other diva out. 

"Have you two seen Trish?" 

"I think she's still showering," Torrie told her. 

When the two left, Amy began to get her things together in preparation of returning to the hotel. 

She looked up as the door opened, and Trish walked into the room, dressed in her regular clothes, hair damp. 

"Hey..." The petite blonde smiled at her friend. 

"Hi...Wow, that match you and Stacy had looked pretty humiliating." 

"Ugh..." Trish rolled her eyes as she ran her hand through her long blonde hair. "I had to shampoo three times to get the gravy smell out of my hair." 

The redhead wrinkled her nose in distaste. "Can't say I'd want to trade places with you - even if you _are _the current Women's champion." 

The blonde smiled as she reached for her hairdryer. Then, plugging it into the wall by the vanity table, she said, "I caught your man's match earlier..." 

"Oh, yeah...God..." The redhead raised a hand to her head. "I just came from seeing him. I sort of let Jay have it," she admitted. 

"The Unprettier on the chair?" 

"That and the kick downstairs..." 

As Trish blowdried her hair with her left hand, a brush in her right, she shook her head. 

"I don't think he hit him all that hard...Drew's kick looked a little more lethal to me." 

"No, I don't think so," Amy said as she came to stand beside her friend. After a thoughtful moment, she asked, "Do you think I overreacted?" 

"Well...you're in love with the guy, so no, I don't really think you overreacted. But Amy," Trish said as she continued with her hair but shifted her gaze to the other woman's eyes in the mirror, "isn't it amazing?" 

"What is?" 

"How you guys started out...You were so funny...I don't think Adam ever even needed me to pretend we were fooling around..." 

"What?!" The redhead's heart thumped uncomfortably in her chest as she gaped at Trish in shock for what she'd just said. "_Pretend_?!" 

"Oh, God..." The little blonde's mouth dropped open as she suddenly realized what she'd said... Nearly a year earlier, she'd promised Adam she would never spill the beans about his little "scheme" - and here, she'd just told the _last _person she should have. Fear shot through her at the expression on her friend's face. 

"Amy, I..." 

"You and Adam were never _together_? You mean the two of you..._deceived _me into thinking you _were_?!" 

"Amy, listen to me - _please_!" Trish said as she shut off the hairdryer, placing it and her hairbrush on the vanity table. "I never wanted to do it in the first place, but Adam-" 

"If you never wanted to do it, why _did _you? So the two of you could make me feel like crap?!" the redhead cried, gesturing wildly with both hands. "You don't know how...how _low _I felt!" 

"Let me explain!" the blonde woman practically begged. She suddenly noticed a sinking, sickening feeling in the pit of her stomach. 

"Save your breath, Trish!" Amy yelled, backing toward the door. As the other diva started after her, trying to explain, the redhead yanked on the knob and ran down the hallway. There was a certain tall, handsome blond Canadian man with whom she was so madly in love to confront... 

She'd managed to somehow lose Trish as she arrived at Adam's locker room. Not caring about anyone passing by and noticing her, she banged on the door. 

"Adam, let me in!" 

The door opened a few seconds later, and the tall blond man smiled as he gazed at his girlfriend - but the smile quickly disappeared when he realized she was angry. 

The redhead stormed into the room, fury emanating from her very being as she turned around to glare at him. He quickly shut the door, relieved that Jay had stepped out a few minutes earlier. 

"How could you _do _that to me?!" Amy demanded as she gestured at him. "How could you play with my emotions like that?!" 

Adam cocked his head to one side as he regarded her. "Amy, what...what are you talking about?" 

"I'm talking about you and Trish! When we first started sleeping together, you two pretended to be fucking!" she spat in her rage, eyes narrowed. "Why??? As a cruel joke to _hurt _me?!" 

Oh, my God... The blond man swallowed hard, a feeling of cold horror gripping him. She'd found out... He imagined Trish must have somehow let the cat out of the bag. 

"Amy, it's not what you think..." he began calmly, holding his hands out to her in a placating manner. "It wasn't my intention to hurt-" 

"Oh, yeah! _Right_!" the distraught diva cried. "You played me! Here, I was thinking you were screwing her, and I felt lower than dirt because of it! For God's sake, I didn't even _like _you back then!" She tore at her long red hair as she glared daggers into him with her hazel eyes. "But after awhile, I realized I _did _feel something for you! And yet, you still continued to pull the wool over my eyes, making me think you were having regular sex with one of my closest friends! Do you know how that made me _feel_?! Do you?!" 

"Amy, listen to me!" Adam cried. "I did it because I wanted to see how you-" 

The woman interrupted him again, moving slightly closer to the Canadian as she yelled. "You wanted to play some stupid little mind games with me! You asshole!" By now, the redhead had begun to cry, and bitter tears streamed down her face. "You thought it was perfectly fine to toy with me - use my emotions against me! Adam, I _love _you! You don't know what you've done!" 

His green eyes widened in alarm, his heart hurting as she revealed what he'd been wondering for so long - she loved him. She really, truly _loved _him - and he had screwed up big time. 

"Ames, baby...please..." 

"Leave me the hell alone!" she shouted. "How can I ever trust you again? How can I ever look you in the eye after this?!" 

"Come here..." Adam said, trying his best to stay calm as he moved closer to her. "I'm sorry, Amy!" 

"Get away from me!" she cried as she bolted out of his reach. She stared at him as a new torrent of tears ran down her face. Then, reducing her voice to a near-whisper, she said, calmly, "Goodbye, Adam." 

The blond man's eyes widened upon those last two words, and his heart nearly stopped as Amy turned and yanked open the locker room door. She fled down the hallway, unable to control herself, and he heard sobs escaping her. 

"Oh, God...Amy!" Adam ran out the door and took off after her. He had to explain this - _had_ to undo this horrible mess. He couldn't lose her. He didn't know what he might do if he did... 

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**Part 29**

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	29. Fire&IceThe Fine Line Between Love&Hate

  


* * *

Amy rushed down the hallway with one thought in mind - she had to go to her best friend, _had _to see Jeff. 

She knocked on the door of the Hardys' locker room, sobbing, tears still streaming down her face. She heard Adam calling to her from further down the hall, but she desperately tried to ignore him. 

The door opened, and Matt stared at her in shock, his facial expression quickly transforming to one of great concern. 

"What happened?" 

The redhead didn't answer him and shoved past him, running directly to Jeff, who rose from where he was sitting as he saw her. She threw herself into his arms and cried freely against him, her sobs increasing in volume as she burrowed her face into his chest. 

"Ames...Sweetheart, what's wrong?" the younger Hardy brother asked softly as he gently stroked her hair down her back. 

She pulled back slightly to gaze up into his face, and to Jeff, the look in her eyes was sadder than tragedy. He felt as though his heart were breaking as she spoke so softly he could barely hear her. 

Amy was only able to utter a single word - a sole name. 

"A-Adam..." 

"Oh, Ames...I'm so sorry..." Jeff said softly, holding her tightly, not having any idea what had happened between the redhead and her boyfriend. He had to assume that it was bad - she obviously didn't even care that his brother was right here, able to hear anything she said - and he guessed they had broken up as well. 

"What the hell did he do to you?!" Matt demanded, his hands clenched into fists at his sides as he eyed the sorrowful diva in his brother's arms. 

"Amy! Are you in there?!" It was Adam's voice calling from the other side of the door. 

Neither Amy nor Jeff moved from the spot upon which they stood, but Matt marched over to the door, yanking it open in an instant. 

"Amy!" The tall blond man made a move to enter the room and go to his girlfriend, but the elder Hardy brother grabbed him, preventing him from getting too far. 

"Oh, no you don't!" Matt shouted angrily. He shoved the Canadian back out into the hallway, just beyond the door. 

Adam grew angry at the other man for preventing him from approaching the redhead. "Get out of my way, Matt!" He gave the dark-haired man a shove right back. 

"You bastard!" Matt pulled his right arm back and decked the blond man right in the face. 

A short, feminine scream sounded just a few feet further down the hall, and the Hardy Boy turned his head, noticing Trish Stratus running in their direction. The blonde's face looked shocked and horrified. 

"Stay _away _from her!" the Hardy shouted. "If I see you come near her again, I'll hurt you a _lot _worse than this!" He glared at the Canadian man for another second or two before slamming the door, locking it behind him. 

Finally having made it just outside the Hardys' locker room, Trish knelt at Adam's side, as the tall blond had staggered back upon the punch Matt had delivered. 

"Are you all right?" she asked with concern, her hand on his shoulder. 

Adam looked up at her wordlessly, an initial feeling of anger toward the petite woman surging through him, but he swallowed the feeling down. It wasn't Trish's fault this had happened - no, it was his _own. _ He had no one but himself to blame for this mess. After all, pretending he and Trish had something going on had been all _his _idea. 

"Oh, my God..." the diva breathed as she noticed the blood dripping from Adam's nose. "Y-You're bleeding..." She pointed to his face, then moved her hand to her own, pointing at her nose. 

As the tall Canadian man rose to his feet, he reached one hand up to his face, instantly seeing the blood on his fingers. 

"Shit..." he muttered. He gazed long and sadly at the closed door before them before reluctantly turning around and heading down the hall, back to his own locker room. 

Trish briskly walked with him, biting her lip before she spoke again. 

"Adam, I...I am _so _sorry!" she cried. "I never meant to say a thing, but..." 

"It's okay, Trish," he said in a surprisingly calm voice. They were now at his locker room, and he opened the door as he continued. "It's not your fault - it's _mine_..." 

The blonde woman eyed him sadly. 

"Holy crap!" Jay exclaimed as he looked up from his bag at the sound of them entering the room. "What the hell happened to _you_?" 

"Matt punched me out." Adam grabbed a towel out of his open bag and held it up against his nose, thankful that it didn't feel as though it were broken. 

"What? Why?!" 

As Trish continued to stand by helplessly, feeling completely guilty despite Adam's insistence that _he _was to blame, the battered man spoke. 

"Let's just say he definitely found out about Amy and me...and _Amy _found out about Trish and me..." 

The shorter man's blue eyes widened for a moment as he considered his best friend's words. "Wait a minute...I thought you guys had nothing going on..." 

"We don't! And we never have..." 

As Jay glanced over at the petite blonde woman, she nodded in agreement. "Back when they started seeing each other, Adam had asked me to do him a favor in pretending we _were _doing stuff," she explained, her tone soft and low. "And Amy thinks we both deceived her - that by doing this, we deliberately tried to hurt her..." 

The blond man made a face of confusion. "Let me get this straight...you two never did anything...and she's upset over _that_?" When both of the other two Canadians nodded, he continued. "That's weird...you'd think she'd be _happy _to know you two never did anything." 

"Well, that's now how _she _sees it, Jay," the taller man said in annoyance and dismay. He tossed the towel he was holding halfway across the room. "As a matter of fact, I think it's all over between us...she said 'goodbye' to me. Damn it, the way she _said _it - it felt so final..._Damn it!_" He pounded his fist on top of the TV monitor, which just so happened to be beside him. 

Jay and Trish exchanged glances, then watched him sadly, neither speaking another word. 

"God damn it..." Adam raked a hand through his long blond locks. "I fucked up...I fucked up _big _time..." 

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**Part 30**

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	30. Fire&IceThe Fine Line Between Love&Hate

  


* * *

{Despair, regret, and tenderness   
Is what I feel for you   
I loved you from the very start   
What else could I do 

You read my mind, you made me cry   
Time stood still   
And now I know the reasons why   
Time stood still 

Maybe you're the next best thing to happen   
All the things we might have been 

A flame becomes a fading light   
That burns inside my heart   
And like a castle in the sand   
It had to fall apart 

You made me laugh, you gave me hope   
It's over now   
Our happiness went up in smoke   
It's over now...} 

_December 3, 2001_

Amy lay in her hotel room bed with the covers thrown over her, her head nestled beneath the pillow. 

It had been a lonely and miserable two weeks, ever since she'd found out about the scheme Adam and Trish had perpetrated against her... 

She had not seen nor spoken to either one of them in the fourteen days past. Well, she had _seen_ them - the little blonde diva in the women's locker room, and her now former boyfriend in the arena hallways. She'd gone out of her way at times to avoid both Canadians. 

The redhead sighed sadly as she raised her head from beneath the pillow. The truth was, she still loved Adam - and although the breakup was so new, she could not imagine _not _loving him, regardless of how much time passed. 

She sat up in the bed, drawing her knees up to her chest, her back against the headboard. She was so achingly lonely, and her pain was unlike any she'd ever experienced in all her life. 

Amy leaned forward and lay her head on her knees as she felt the tears coming again. Damn it... She'd cried enough for a river - enough to last her a lifetime, over the last two weeks. She'd bawled her eyes, heart and soul out, until she'd been left with a raw, scratchy, sore throat and eyes so puffy she was surprised she could even open them. _Oh, God_... The pain she felt was unimaginable. _No _one should ever have to feel such anguish. 

Although it had only been two weeks, Matt and Jeff had told her exactly how worried they were about her. 

_"Ames, you need to just _forget _about him," Matt stated firmly, and the diva winced at the sharpness of his tone. How could he ever understand? She had tried to tell the dark-haired man just how much she'd loved Adam - how much she _still _loved him - but he just didn't seem to get it._

_Jeff, although definitely the more sympathetic of the two, didn't seem to fully understand, either - not when he said things like: "Amy, it'll be all right. I know it hurts like hell right now, but...Sweetheart, as time goes on, it'll get better - it'll hurt less. I promise you..."_

_"I'm worried about you," Matt said, concern on his face as he looked her over. "You seem to be falling into a depression..."_

_Amy had nearly flown into a fit of rage when he'd said that. "Well, what the _hell _do you expect?!" she shouted. "I just lost the love of my life! I have never loved anyone even _half _as much as I love Adam Copeland! And guess what, Matt? I _still _love him! God damn it!" She felt something break inside of her as she looked from the dark-haired man, who looked shocked and perhaps a little confused, then to his rainbow-haired brother, whose face wore a look of sympathy. She burst into tears, her sobs consuming her, and Jeff wrapped her in his warm embrace._

Oh, God... She didn't want to live like this, with this kind of hurt. It was too unbearable, and although she'd always prided herself on being an exceptionally strong person, she wasn't feeling that way now. No... On the contrary, she was feeling downright fragile. Her heart had been shattered - or as though it had been frozen inside her chest. 

The tears were streaming down the redhead's face as she kept her chin pressed against her knees. She wondered how Adam was feeling right now, what was going on through his mind and in his heart... She knew that he'd been upset when she'd said goodbye - she'd seen that look in his eyes when she'd said the word... 

And when he'd chased her down the hall that night - she knew he'd wanted to explain himself - she'd refused to allow him that luxury. 

Although she hadn't actually witnessed it or the damage thereafter, Amy knew that Matt had punched Adam. She knew he'd done so on that very night - and somehow, she'd sensed the elder Hardy brother had been waiting to do that for a long time. In one sense, her heart hurt knowing that the tall blond man had been hit when all he'd wanted to do was explain - yet, a part of her felt he'd gotten what he deserved. A year earlier, she would have belted him one herself, but _damn _it, she loved him far too much to ever do anything to hurt him - physically _or _emotionally. 

Amy lay back down on her right side, curled into the fetal position as she shut her eyes tightly, and by now she was sobbing. As her face continued to be drenched by the tears she knew wouldn't stop anytime soon, she silently wished for sleep - and the escape it would bring her... 

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**Part 31**

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	31. Fire&IceThe Fine Line Between Love&Hate

  


* * *

Amy sat at a table in the buffet room backstage at the arena, her eyes unfocused as she loosely held a fork in her hand. 

She'd come in here alone, as Jeff had already eaten and she really didn't want Matt's company at the very moment. She knew the elder Hardy brother meant well, but he was a little insensitive. Amy knew that, as far as _he _was concerned, Adam had gotten exactly what he deserved and _didn't_ deserve _her_. He'd already told Amy that she deserved better. 

The redhead suddenly realized that some other wrestlers had entered the room. She could hear voices nearby and ducked her head a bit in case anyone tried to sit with her or speak to her. 

For the most part, a good bulk of the people who were friends with both Adam and herself had respected her privacy, opting to not intrude on her during this rather trying time. Instead, they'd left her alone - which was what she really wanted anyway - knowing that was what she wanted. She could do without all their apologies and sympathies for the time being. She didn't mind not hearing them. She didn't _care_. She was actually glad and _preferred_ that everyone leave her alone. 

Amy suddenly realized a slight shadow had fallen upon her table, and she looked up to see who had the nerve to have approached her. 

Her eyes widened slightly in surprise at the sight of the intruder, then narrowed when the person sat down, uninvited, across from her. 

The redhead averted her eyes to the table, refusing to raise them even when a hand gently came to rest on top of her own. 

"Amy..." came the soft voice. "Amy, can we _please _put all of this behind us? I hate it when things are like this between us. I-I..._miss _you..." 

The diva raised her gaze and met Trish's eyes. Her intention was to continue being hostile and just ignore her, but she found herself weakening a bit when she realized the blonde woman appeared to be nearly on the verge of tears. Her large brown eyes were shining, face looking extremely sad as she blinked rapidly in an attempt to prevent the salty moisture from falling. 

"Trish, I..." The redhead dropped the plastic fork she was holding, unable to eat. She didn't have much of an appetite anyway, and hadn't been eating well since the night she'd left Adam. "I...really don't feel like..." She raised her eyes and met Trish's again. "Okay...What do you want?" 

The blonde squeezed her hand. "I want us to be friends again...please, Amy. Please talk to me..." she said, her voice close to breaking with the emotion doing battle inside of her. 

The redhead sighed as she pulled her hand out of the petite Canadian's. She pushed her plate aside, then ran her hand through her hair as she thought it over. As angry as she'd been, and as angry as she still was, she really wasn't all that mad at Trish anymore. Although the blonde woman certainly wasn't innocent in what had made her so upset, Amy placed most, if not _all_ the blame on Adam. After all, it had all been _his _idea. _He _was the one who should have had the most loyalty toward her. Damn it... _He _was the one who was supposed to love her! But he didn't... He'd never said he _had_, not even when she'd yelled at him that night - or when she'd said those three little words to _him _in the midst of her angry speech - when he'd seen how upset she was. It tore her apart... 

"Amy?" 

She snapped back to reality, and she closed her eyes, then opened them again. "All right," she finally said. She faced Trish directly, her gaze unwavering. 

"I...I'm so sorry about everything," the blonde Canadian said. "Will you please...forgive me?" 

Amy sighed. "Okay, Trish...I forgive you." 

The Canadian woman breathed out a sigh, as though with relief. She still seemed a bit choked up as she pressed a hand to her chest. "Oh, God, Amy...I was so worried I'd lost you as a friend," Trish said. 

The redhead eyed her silently, not knowing what to say. The truth was, she didn't _want _to say anything. 

After a beat, the blonde diva asked, "How...How are you?" Her voice was gentle and tentative. 

"Well," Amy said, "to be perfectly honest...it's been pure hell." 

Trish winced, her gaze falling slowly to the table and the plate of untouched food the other woman had pushed aside. 

"I'm _miserable _without him..." She felt tears burning behind her eyelids but refused to give them freedom. 

"Amy, can I...tell you why Adam did what he did? You should _know _why he-" 

"Trish, stop right there," the redhead said, putting up one hand as if warding off the rest of the other woman's words. "I really don't want to hear it..." 

The petite Canadian winced again, then bit her lip as she eyed her friend wordlessly. "Okay...I'm sorry." 

After another moment of silence, in which Trish now found herself feeling awkward, she ran a hand through her long blonde hair. 

"So...We've got Vengeance coming up - just around the corner." 

"Yeah..." Amy said, managing to force a half-smile for the other diva's sake. 

"Isn't it going to be weird for you?" Trish asked, and the other woman looked up sharply upon that question. "I mean, refereeing the match between Matt and Jeff..." 

"Well, I don't...yeah, I guess it'll be weird, but I don't care." 

The blonde arched an eyebrow at the obvious disinterest in Amy's voice. She felt so awful about this... 

"Well, I'm looking forward to my Women's title defense," Trish said. 

The redhead raised her eyes to the other woman's. "Good luck." 

The blonde smiled, although she felt a little uneasy with her friend's obvious sorrow. 

"Thanks." Before she could say another word, Amy stood up. 

"Would you excuse me, Trish?" 

"Sure." The Women's champion watched her friend as she picked up her plate, dumping the entire thing into the wastebasket in one corner of the room. Afterward, she left the buffet all together without another word. 

Trish closed her eyes, a feeling of hopelessness overcoming her. 

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**Part 32**

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	32. Fire&IceThe Fine Line Between Love&Hate

  


* * *

_Vengeance, December 9, 2001_

Adam made his way briskly down the hallway. He'd seen Trish around earlier, and he _had _to talk to her. He had a little time to do so, as the pay-per-view had only started, and his match was to be the third of the night. 

He hadn't spoken to the blonde diva in over a week. But he knew she'd seen Amy, and that the two women had talked. Although neither of them had seen him, the Canadian had seen them sitting together in the buffet room a couple of days earlier during a house show. 

The tall blond man hesitated when he arrived at the women's locker room. He steeled himself, knowing his now former - as much as it tore him up inside, he had to acknowledge that the accurate term was now indeed _former _- girlfriend was probably inside. 

He raised a hand to knock, and the door opened. Jacqueline, Trish's opponent for later that evening, smiled out at him. 

"Hello, sugar..." 

"Hi, Jackie...I'm looking for-" He peered into the room through the doorway, and his eyes met Amy's briefly. Her hazel orbs looked surprised as she glanced over her shoulder toward the door, and they widened just a bit before she turned away. 

Adam's heart thudded like a drum in his chest. _Oh, God... _He hated himself for having hurt her so badly. 

Trish suddenly came over to him, and he found it odd that he hadn't even seen her when _she _was who he'd been looking for. Actually, he didn't find it all that strange - when he'd seen Amy, it was as though she were the only woman in the room... 

"Hi," he said, and he grabbed her by the arm, pulling her out into the hallway with him. 

The blonde diva didn't question him, as she sensed that his need to talk to her was urgent. 

The two Canadians walked a little ways down the hall before Adam spoke. 

"How is she?" He'd stopped in his tracks, coming to lean up against the wall. His eyes were full of concern as he met the blonde woman's gaze. 

Trish bit her lip nervously, wondering whether she should tell him the truth. 

"Trish?" The tall blond man asked impatiently, gesturing with both hands out in an expectant manner. 

"Okay..." the young woman said with a sigh. "She's...Adam, I'm not going to lie to you - she's not doing very well..." 

The blond man blinked slowly, thoughtful for a moment. 

"She's really depressed?" He didn't ask the question with any satisfaction over the thought that the woman was miserable without him, as this wasn't an ego thing for him. The last thing in the world he would ever want was for the redhead to fall into a pit of despair. 

Trish nodded sadly. "She's not eating well, and she has dark circles under her eyes," she said. "So, I suspect she's not sleeping all that well, either..." 

"Damn it..." Adam raked a hand through his long blond hair. "Thank you, Trish...Thanks for telling me. Shit, I have to find a way to make it right between Amy and myself again." 

The petite diva eyed her friend with sympathy. Her heart hurt for him and the redheaded woman he so obviously and desperately loved with all his heart. 

The tall Canadian man was quiet for a moment as he raised a hand to his face, thinking furiously. "There _has _to be some way I can talk to her - tonight," he said, more to himself than to Trish. "Yeah...I'll try to talk to her before the Hardys' match." 

"I don't know how good an idea that is, Adam..." 

He looked up, meeting the blonde woman's eyes with confusion. "Why not?" 

"Well," Trish said as she clasped her hands together before her, "Amy's going to be really distracted preparing for this match...You know she's never refereed before, and...I know she's nervous about it." 

"So what are you saying, Trish? That I should just forget all about trying to speak to my girlfriend?" He winced as he mentally reminded himself that she was now his _ex_-girlfriend. 

"No, no, that's not what I'm saying," she replied. "Maybe you should wait until after the match is over. Better yet, wait until all of her spots are finished for the night, because I know she has one before and one _after_ the match." 

The tall blond man sighed, realizing that the diva was right. As much as it hurt him to have to wait, as anxious as he was - as desperate he was to speak to Amy, he knew it _would _be better to wait until they were both through for the night. 

"Okay," Adam finally said, nodding at Trish. "I'll wait until she's finished with her last spot of the night." 

Little did he know that he would be lucky to be able to get that chance... 

  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**Part 33**

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	33. Fire&IceThe Fine Line Between Love&Hate

  


* * *

Amy sat in front of the TV monitor in the women's locker room, her makeshift referee top already in place over her pink fishnet top. 

At the moment, William Regal was being interviewed - which meant that Adam's match was about to take place. 

She was very acutely aware of all the other divas present in the room. Women were buzzing back and forth around her, discussing matches and fiddling with garments and cosmetics. 

The redhead stood up and sighed, running her hand through her long locks. She felt as though she couldn't very well stay here and watch this match - damn it - despite still being furious with the man, she still loved Adam and _did _want to witness his Intercontinental title defense. 

She strode to the door and opened it, slipping out into the hall. She had to find an empty locker room in which to watch the match. 

She walked down the hallway a little ways and stopped when she reached an empty room. There just so happened to be a television monitor in there, and it was on. Relieved, she entered and stood in front of the TV - just in time to catch Edge's entrance. 

Her heart nearly stopped when she saw him... He was clad in royal blue tights - she'd always loved him in blue - and his black trenchcoat, the Intercontinental belt around his narrow waist, and he looked absolutely gorgeous. 

Amy backed up a little, blindly feeling behind her until she felt a chair at her thighs. She sat down, her eyes glued to the screen. 

At this point, Regal had just been announced and now made his way to the ring. There was a brief close-up of the blond man's handsome face, which wore a determined yet somewhat concerned look as he gestured and told the referee to check his opponent. Regal had been known for awhile now to use brass knuckles against Edge, as like J.R. would say when the match ended, he seemed incapable of defeating the Canadian fairly. 

As the redhead watched the match, and although her heart felt as though it were breaking over and over again, she couldn't tear her eyes away from the tall blond - she found it _impossible _to do so. 

Amazingly, she managed to keep from crying, although she came quite close. She had to bite her lip as tears filled her eyes, but she sniffled and kept them inside. She couldn't afford to cry right now anyway, as she had a spot with Matt to do a couple of minutes before his match against Jeff, which was to take place after this one. 

Somehow, Amy managed to keep her facial features neutral when the match ended, Edge declared the winner via three-count. Her expression didn't even change one iota when he continued to lay on the canvas, wincing in pain from the beating he'd taken from the Englishman. The referee raised the blond man's hand, and it seemed a bit of an effort for him to raise up to his knees. Once he made it to his feet, he stumbled around the ring a bit, the IC strap in hand. 

The redhead's heart hurt as she realized how sore the blond man must feel, and normally, she would have been right there to make him feel better after such a grueling match. She would have given him a soothing massage - that is, if he was able to keep his hands, not to mention _other _things, off of her to do so. 

Oh, God... She bit her lip as she again tried to force the tears from flowing, but one managed to slip just past her eye. She raised a hand to her face, wiping it away quickly with her forefinger as she stood up to leave the room. 

Damn it... Amy was not looking forward to going out there - not tonight. She felt as though she might come apart at the seams in front of the thousands of fans in attendance, the millions more watching at home, and all of her peers in the locker room - not to mention _him_. She didn't want Adam to see her like this. If he knew how this entire thing was affecting her... 

She had to get hold of herself. Although she felt as though she had literally had all the life sucked out of her since that night, she had to be strong, if for no other reason than for the sake of the match she had to referee tonight. Matt and Jeff were counting on her, and she owed it to them to give them one-hundred percent. The Hardy brothers had always been there for her and had done the same in kind. 

Amy stood up, knowing there was no longer a reason for her to stay in this lonely, empty room now that Adam's match had ended. She walked to the door, stepping out into the hallway, her eyes still misting a bit, but she refused to let the tears spill forth. 

God damn it... She wanted things to be the way they were before. She cursed herself for having been so stupid, for not realizing that he'd been playing with her from the get-go. Yet at the same time, she wished Trish had never opened up her big mouth - because things would have been just like they were before. 

She would have been in Adam's locker room right now, and it was very possible that she and the tall blond man might have been locked in a passionate kiss. Thinking about that, the way they'd been so unbelievably happy, made the redhead realize one thing... 

Although she'd never allowed herself to be so very dependent on a man in any way, not even emotionally to _this_ extent, this was different - because she was so desperately and deeply in love with him. She knew without a shadow of a doubt that she couldn't live without Adam... 

  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**Part 34**

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	34. Fire&IceThe Fine Line Between Love&Hate

  


* * *

Adam rushed out of his locker room, now fully dressed, his long blond hair still slightly dripping from his recent shower. The scene between Matt and Lita, in which the redhead, still clad in her referee halter, had apologized profusely to the dark-haired man, had just taken place - which meant that Amy was now completely finished for the night. 

He strode down the hallway at a brisk pace, on his way to the women's locker room. He assumed that she would be in there, hoping with all of his heart that she would at least hear him out. He couldn't stand not being near her, not being able to kiss and touch her... Not hearing her beautiful, bubbly laughter or see her gorgeous, sunny smile... And, perhaps more than anything else, he hated that she was so angry with him - even though it was all his own fault. 

As he neared the divas' locker room, he realized that the door was already open, and a couple of women, Ivory and Jacqueline, were exiting the room. He quickened his pace a bit and neared them, the two divas looking up as they noticed him. 

"Is Amy in there?" 

Jackie gave the tall blond man an odd look, as she was apparently still in the dark about the relationship he'd had with the redhead. "Amy? No, sugar - she came here after the Hardys' match to get her belongings. She's probably sharing _their_ locker room now, because she never came back here." 

_Damn_, Adam thought, running a quick, nervous hand through his long damp tresses. Now he was going to have to somehow appeal to Matt or Jeff, possibly _both_, to get to speak to her. He didn't think the younger, colorful-haired man would give him any trouble, but his elder brother might pose a problem. 

"Thanks, Jackie," he said quickly, then turned around in the direction of where he knew the Hardys' locker room to be. 

"Sure thing, sugar!" the African-American diva called after him. 

The tall blond Canadian raised a hand to the woman without turning around, hurrying in a near-run, hoping beyond hope that he might come upon Amy alone in the locker room. God, how he needed to talk to her. He had seen how upset she'd looked during each one of her appearances on the pay-per-view tonight, and although she was supposed to look unhappy for the storyline, he knew the _real _reason her sorrow appeared so genuine. 

He knocked on the door as he finally came to a stop before it, hesitating for the tiniest fraction before raising his hand to knock. He shifted a little from foot-to-foot as he heard voices within, and he waited for a response. 

To Adam's relief, although Amy wasn't the one who'd answered the door, Jeff was the person who had. His rainbow-headed friend gave him the slightest look of sympathy and a nod, as he seemed reluctant to say anything to him - and then the tall blond realized _why_. 

"Jeff, who's at the door?" Matt's voice asked from within. And then, the dark-haired man was at his younger brother's side, his placid expression darkening to anger as he saw Adam standing in the doorway. "What the hell do _you _want?" 

"I want to talk to Amy." 

"She doesn't want to talk to you!" Matt insisted as he attempted to shove his sibling aside to close the door in the Canadian's face. 

Jeff shoved back at the darker man. "Matt, cut it out! Adam has the right to speak to Amy is she'll let him! We should let _her _have the final say on that!" 

"No! As I told this miserable son of a bitch last month, he's not coming near her again!" Although the elder Hardy's glare was still locked on the tall blond man, he was speaking to his brother. 

"Look, Matt...I didn't come here to start trouble," Adam said, desperately trying to keep his voice even. "All I want is to speak to my girlfriend..." 

"Newsflash - she's not your girlfriend anymore!" Matt shouted into the taller man's face. 

Adam had to fight the urge to shove the Hardy Boy's face away from him. He was really starting to piss him off. "Would you just tell me where she is?" 

"No! Why should I? You're a worthless piece of crap for what you did to her! You don't deserve to know where she is, and you don't deserve the chance to _speak _to her! Hell, you don't even deserve her knee kicking you where it hurts!" 

An angry expression crossed the tall blond man's features as he glared back at Matt Hardy, and, unconsciously, he clenched both hands into fists at his side. If the other man wasn't careful, he was going to end up pounding him senseless. 

"Matt, would you just _shut up _already?!" Jeff yelled, yanking on the dark-haired man's shoulder and turning him around to face him. His brother glared into his eyes, seemingly about to ask what his problem was, but the purple-haired young man went on. "Listen to yourself, man - have you forgotten that you're talking to a guy who's supposed to be your _friend_?!" 

"He's no friend of mine after what he did to Amy!" 

"Whatever, man...But you are _not _Amy's big protector. It's up to _her_ - nobody else - _her _if she wants to hear Adam out. So just butt out!" He turned to the Canadian. "Adam, she's in the shower right now, but she'll probably be out soon. I'd say come back in about ten, fifteen minutes." 

"All right," the blond man said, giving the younger man a grateful look. "Thanks, Jeff." He glared at Matt, who turned around to stare daggers into him, for another second or two before turning around and heading back to his locker room. 

He was going to gather up his stuff and then try to meet Amy back here. 

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**Part 35**

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	35. Fire&IceThe Fine Line Between Love&Hate

  


* * *

Amy left the shower room and headed back to the Hardys' locker room carrying her shampoo and soap in a plastic bag. She sighed audibly as she shoved her stuff into her bag, then stood up, running her hand through her damp red hair. 

She was glad that Matt and Jeff weren't around at the moment. But just as soon as she had that thought, the door swung open and the two brothers bounded in, bickering about something. 

"Ames!" Jeff exclaimed when he saw her standing there. "Adam was here before..." 

"_Jeff_!" Matt gave his brother a dirty look. 

"Oh?" The redhead's brows rose briefly in surprise, but just as quickly, her neutral expression returned. However, on the inside, she was crying. 

"Yeah..." Then, "Will you give it _up _already!" the young man yelled as he turned from Amy to glare at Matt, who'd been nudging him, poking him in the ribs with an elbow and annoying him in the process. Then, turning back to the redhead, he said, "He said he wants to talk to you. I hope you don't mind that I told him you were in the shower and that he should come back in ten minutes." 

"When was this exactly?" 

The rainbow-headed Hardy brother checked his watch. "Just over five minutes ago..." 

Amy looked down at the floor, thoughtful for a moment as she chewed on the inside of her cheek. Then, she met Jeff's gaze and said, "Oh...Well, too bad I got out early, huh?" She knelt down to pick up her bag, then grabbed her jacket from the back of a nearby chair. Afterward, she stepped across the Hardys and to the door. 

"I'm going back to the hotel." 

"Ames?" 

The redhead turned back at Jeff's utterance of her nickname, but Matt waved at her. 

"Let her _go_, Jeff," the dark-haired man said in a warning tone. 

"Actually, there's one more thing..." Amy said, sighing softly. "Jeff...come here..." 

The young man blinked, turning to eye his brother for a beat before approaching her. 

The redheaded diva dropped her bag to slip into her jacket, then slid her hand into one of its pockets. 

"Here," she said, placing whatever it was she'd pulled out and putting it into Jeff's hand. "I'm trusting you with this..." She stared seriously and unwaveringly up into his green eyes. After a moment, she knelt down for her bag, hefted it over her shoulder and left. 

Jeff stood in the locker room's doorway, watching the redhead's retreating form for awhile until his brother's voice brought him back to his senses. 

"Jeff, what is it? What'd Amy give you?" 

The young man looked down at the object clutched in his right hand before looking back at the older man. 

"A keycard...A spare keycard for her hotel room..." 

Matt frowned, not knowing what to say or make of that. 

* 

Somehow, Amy managed to keep all of the tears she felt coming inside as she walked at a brisk pace out to the parking lot and to her rental car. Damn it... She didn't want to break down right here. Not now. There were too many people out here. 

She ignored all of the stares of fellow WWF superstars, staff and whatever fans might have actually gotten into the parking lot. All she could think of was returning to her lonely hotel room and having herself a good cry - _another _good cry. 

As the redhead slipped into the driver's seat of her rental, she wondered who the hell had come up with such a stupid saying. There was no such thing as a 'good cry.' Well, maybe when you shed tears of joy, but not when you felt as though your heart had been shattered into fifty-million pieces! 

Amy put the car in reverse, backing out of her space with careful precision despite her horrible mood. She'd been literally counting the seconds until Vengeance had ended, and she would finally get to leave this damn arena. She sighed as she wished her sorrow could at least have taken a vacation for the sake of the pay-per-view. But what difference would that make? Tomorrow night, she would have to deal with RAW - and then, the night after, SmackDown. 

She drove out of the parking lot, pressing her foot a bit harder on the accelerator and sped down the block a little faster than the allotted speed limit. God damn it... As she braked for the first red light she came to, she felt the tears coming. Shit... She couldn't afford to break down now - not while she was behind the wheel of a moving vehicle that weighed a ton. 

Amy was lucky in the sense that she didn't suddenly sob or cry out. Instead, she managed to keep her crying silent, a few tears running down her cheeks. She knew that the moment she stepped into her hotel room, she would totally lose it. 

Damn... She hated her situation. She hated _Adam _for what he'd done, for how he'd broken her heart. Yet, at the same time, she loved him - she could _never _stop loving him. And a sudden knowledge tore away at her. 

She knew she couldn't live without him. She didn't _want _to live without him. And she suddenly decided that, once she was back in her hotel room, she was going to _do_ something about it... 

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**Part 36**

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	36. Fire&IceThe Fine Line Between Love&Hate

  


* * *

{Take a bow   
The night is over   
This masquerade is getting older   
Lights are low   
The curtain's down   
There's no one here   
Say your lines   
But do you feel them   
Do you mean what you say   
When there's no one around   
Watching you watching me   
One lonely star 

I've always been in love with you   
I guess you've always known it's true   
You took my love for granted, why oh why   
The show is over say goodbye   
Say goodbye, say goodbye 

Make them laugh   
It comes so easy   
When you get to the part   
Where you're breaking my heart   
Hide behind your smile   
All the world loves a clown   
Wish you well   
I cannot stay   
You deserve an award   
For the role that you play   
No more masquerade   
You're one lonely star... 

All the world is a stage   
And everyone has their part   
How was I to know   
Which way the story'd go   
How was I to know you'd break   
You'd break, you'd break, you'd break my heart...} 

Adam pretty much ran back to the Hardys' locker room after the ten-fifteen minutes were up. His heart was racing as he approached the door, but not a second did he hesitate to knock. 

Jeff opened the door a few seconds later, and he looked out at Adam with what looked to the tall Canadian to be sympathy. 

"Is she out of the shower yet, Jeff?" 

The colorful-haired young man ran a hand through his long hair nervously and sighed. "Yeah...she finished her shower a few minutes ago. Adam, you missed her," he said. 

"What do you mean?" 

"She's gone," Jeff explained. "She came back five minutes after you'd left before, and she went back to the hotel." 

Matt came over to the doorway, deciding to put in his own two cents and again annoy the tall blond man in the process. "Jeff, why are you bothering with this? She obviously doesn't want anything to do with him." 

"Why don't you keep out of this, Matt?" Adam snapped testily. "Amy's not your sister, and she sure as hell is not your girlfriend..." 

"No, she's not," the dark-haired man shot back, his brown eyes flaring dangerously. "But guess what? She's not _your _girlfriend anymore - and I doubt she'll ever be again." 

The Canadian held his breath, his hands clenching into fists. "Look - why don't you just mind your own business and let me talk to Jeff?" 

"_Make_ me!" 

Adam tried to push his way through the door, as he'd had just about enough from the elder Hardy brother. 

Jeff positioned himself more fully between the two angry men. "All right! That's it!" he shouted. "Matt," he cried, turning to his older sibling, "for the millionth time, _stop _it!" He turned back to Adam and gestured to him with a nod of his head toward the hallway. The blond man got the message and backed up, then the rainbow-haired man followed him out, shutting the locker room door right in Matt's face. Fortunately, the darker man didn't make an attempt to follow them out. 

"I'm really sorry for the way Matt's been acting," Jeff said, his face looking somewhat embarrassed. "I'm not making any excuses for him or anything, but he's so overprotective of Amy." 

"I know," the Canadian replied, nodding. "That was the main reason she never wanted him to know about us...She was afraid of how he would react - and how he would treat us." 

"I know," the younger Hardy said. "She told me way back not to tell him anything." 

Adam raked a hand through his long blond hair. "Jeff...before she left, did you...?" 

"I told her you'd come around looking for her - that you wanted to talk to her," came the reply. "Adam, she's so depressed, man. She is _so _miserable. You have to patch things up with her..." 

"I _want _to," the blond said softly. "Damn it, I've wanted to do that for the last three weeks, but...I kept thinking about how angry Amy was with me, and I thought she would tell me off - tell me to get lost. Every time I see her in the hallway, she turns around and walks the other way - she's been avoiding me, Jeff." He raked a hand through his hair again. "Earlier tonight, I stopped off at the women's locker room to talk to Trish, and Amy was there - she looked right at me, but then, she turned away." 

"Can I ask you a question?" Jeff asked, his hand going into his pocket as he fingered the keycard the redhead had entrusted him with a few minutes earlier before she'd left. 

"Sure...What is it?" 

"Why exactly did you and Trish pull the wool over her eyes like that? I mean, I remember how miserable she was feeling back then," the young man said. "She honestly believed you and Trish had something going on, and...well, she cried to me about it." 

Adam's heart felt as though it were shattering in his chest. Damn it, he'd hurt her even worse than he'd thought. He'd had no clue she'd cared so very much back when they'd started - but here Jeff was, saying she'd actually _cried _over it. 

"I was stupid for even thinking it," the tall blond man said, glancing down at how guilty he felt. He pushed back some of his long hair again as he continued. "I was stupid...I was insecure," he admitted as he raised his gaze to the other man's eyes. He shook his head, his eyes shifting nervously. "I did it to see what Amy's reaction would be - because I wanted to be sure of how she felt about me." 

Jeff arched an eyebrow at the admission, but he didn't speak, as he knew Adam wasn't through just yet. 

"I had my suspicions that to her, it was all just about sex and nothing else...because I knew she didn't like me," he said. "But...in all honesty, after our first time together...I realized I had genuine feelings for her. And _that _was why I asked Trish to make her believe there was something going on between us - I thought I needed to know for sure - because her reaction would tell me whether or not she really liked me." 

"Damn it, Adam...She doesn't just _like _you - she's in love with you. And you've hurt her so badly," the rainbow-headed man said. 

The tall blond man winced and nodded, but before he could reply, Jeff spoke again. "Look, man..." He pulled the object out of his pocket and handed it to Adam. "Amy gave me this earlier. She trusted me with it - it's a spare key to her room. I think you should use it..." 

Adam glanced at the keycard now in his hand, his eyes raising to meet his friend's before he nodded seriously. "Thank you, Jeff..." 

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**Part 37**

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	37. Fire&IceThe Fine Line Between Love&Hate

  


* * *

Amy had somehow managed to stop crying the rest of the drive back to the hotel. Now, as she approached the door to her room, she felt the tears coming again - and a pain the caliber of which she'd never experienced before held her in its iron-like grip. 

As she swiped her keycard through the door, she let out a sob, not bothering to muffle it. There wasn't really anyone around out in the hall to bother her, anyway. And, to be honest, at this point, she wouldn't have cared if there _were_. 

After closing and locking the door, the redhead nearly threw herself on the bed, coming to lay on her stomach, her face pressed into the pillow. Her sobs were barely muffled as she cried her heart out. 

_I'm in hell... _she thought. _This _must _be hell if it feels _this _bad... _Sure, she'd had her heart broken in the past, but never had it hurt quite as badly. This was _the _worst. 

Amy recalled how, earlier in the night, when she'd been in the women's locker room before the Hardys' match - and before Adam's match as well - how the blond man had stopped by. He'd looked at her, and their eyes had met - but he hadn't made a single effort to approach her or even call out to her. That was what she'd been _hoping _he would do - at least one or the other - but instead, he'd done nothing. And instead, he'd summoned Trish. She found it odd that he would rather talk with the woman he'd deceived her with than with _her_. 

Her sobs became even more harsh and uncontrollable as she thought of how stupid she'd been. She'd fallen madly in love with Adam - but obviously, the feeling wasn't mutual and never _had _been. All she'd ever been to him was a good lay - a good fuck. He'd never loved her. Hell - he didn't even _care _about her! If he did or ever _had_, he would have at least _tried_ to approach her - call her - in these last three weeks. 

The anguish overwhelming her, Amy suddenly rose from the bed and walked slowly to the bathroom. Once inside, she stepped up to the sink to examine her reflection in the mirror above it. 

God, she was a mess. Her eyes were puffy and red as she by now took gasping breaths in a feeble attempt to stifle her cries. Even her upper lip was slightly swollen from crying so much, and her hair was a mess up in front. Strands were sticking up all over the place from when she'd had her face buried into the pillow. 

In her mind's eye, she could see Adam and herself when they'd still been together and happy. She saw flashbacks of various times they'd had together, all of it jumbling into one big image in her mind. 

God damn it... They had only recently taken a trip together - he'd met her mother, for Christ's sake! It was only natural that, therefore, she would think he loved her - or that he at least considered what they'd had to be serious. 

She would never make such a stupid mistake again... 

The tears and their accompanying sobs nearly choking her, Amy raised her hands - and, balling them into fists, she began to smash them into the mirror. Shards of glass instantly shattered under the force of the blows, digging painfully into her skin. 

Although it hurt, the redhead didn't stop there. As she continued weeping bitterly, she struck the mirror a second, then a third time... 

She let out a sharp little yelp as she suddenly came to what should have been a horrifying realization... 

She wanted to die... 

At that moment, Amy seriously could not think of a single reason why she should continue living this life. As far as she was concerned, her life was _over_. She felt badly at the thought of leaving her friends and family, but damn it - this was _her _life, _her _choice. She knew her existence would only be an even more miserable and unbearable one without Adam. 

Not at all mindful of her bleeding hands, the redhead quickly left the bathroom. She seated herself at the small desk beside the bed, snatching up the hotel stationery atop it, grabbing a pen with her right hand. 

Her tears blurred her vision and fell upon the paper as she began to scrawl out a quick last note to him... 

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**Part 38**

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	38. Fire&IceThe Fine Line Between Love&Hate

  


* * *

Adam drove back to the hotel with a feeling of anxiousness running through him. 

He had hoped he'd be right behind Amy as she drove back to the place, but if he had been, he'd lost her, as it seemed he was getting every red light from the arena to the hotel. 

As he braked for yet another, he ran his left hand through his long blond hair, the right still on the steering wheel. 

Damn it... He'd thought he would've been able to catch her before she left. He wondered if the redhead had deliberately left when she had, for the sole purpose of avoiding him. If so, then Amy must be even more furious with him than he'd thought. 

Adam couldn't help but wonder about the hotel room keycard Jeff had given him. It was Amy's, but why did the younger Hardy brother have it to begin with? However, the tall blond man knew how close the redhead and the young man were. She'd probably given it to him just in case something were to happen. 

..._in case something were to happen_. Those six words replayed in his head, and he wondered why he'd just gotten such a thought. 

Well, none of that mattered right now - he was on his way to the woman he loved. 

"Come on!" the Canadian exclaimed in frustration, striking the steering wheel with the heel of his right hand. He'd thought he would make it through this light, but it had suddenly turned red. He'd been stuck behind a slow-moving van, which, ironically enough, had _made _the light. He had maybe a mile more to go before reaching the hotel. 

He was relieved when the light turned green again, and he pressed his foot on the accelerator, knowing he was probably going a little fast - but damn it, he couldn't help it. He was overly anxious, so nervous he felt his stomach lurching. He only hoped there wouldn't be any patrolmen on the prowl lying in wait to stop him and give him a ticket. All he could think of right now was getting to Amy - apologizing and telling her how much she truly meant to him and always had. 

After what seemed like an eternity, Adam finally arrived at the hotel, without incident, and he breathed a sigh of relief. He quickly parked the car in a vacant spot in the lot, yanked his bag out of the trunk and briskly made his way to the door. 

The blond man debated with himself for a beat whether or not to go to his own room first to rid himself of his bag and jacket or to go straight to her. He decided to go to his room first, as he didn't want to be burdened by anything when he went to the woman he loved. 

Once at his room, he quickly stashed his bag on the floor near the bed, and was shrugging out of his black leather jacket when something odd suddenly caught his eye. 

Draping the jacket over the back of the chair, Adam squinted as he gazed in the direction of the floor over by the door. Something was on the floor, just beyond the door. 

As he slowly made his way over there, he realized it was white, and that it was a folded up piece of paper. Evidently, it had been shoved underneath the crack between the hotel room door and the floor. He wondered why he hadn't noticed it as he'd entered the room a moment or so before. 

The blond man bent over and quickly snatched up the paper, his heart pounding as he unfolded it in a hurry. A horrible feeling gripped him as he read the first few words, but it only got worse... 

_Dear Adam,___

_I'm writing this to you because I don't know how to say it all to your face - not after everything I've come to realize over these last few weeks.___

_I know you've never loved me. I was hoping you did, but I realize that you don't, and probably never will. I should have known better right from the start that someone like you could never love someone like me. I now realize that all I ever was to you was, at best, a buddy you had some great sex with.___

_You don't know how much you've hurt me. You _and _Trish, though I've already forgiven her. I don't understand why you played these games with my heart, but I guess you had your reasons. But in the process, I fell in love with you. Even after everything you've done to hurt me, I _still _love you. And I hate you for that. I love you, but I hate you. Without you, my life has no meaning. I know that sounds like a silly cliche, but it's the truth.___

_I can't go on like this. Being without you is tearing me apart. But I can't be with you because I know you don't care - at least not in the way I _need _you to care. And somewhere down the line, you'll end up with another girl, one you'll probably love - maybe that girl will even be Trish. I can't even stand the thought of that - you with someone else.___

_All in all, I've realized that I can't live without you. I can't go on. I hate my life and I can't take it anymore. Maybe one day we'll meet again in another lifetime - maybe you'll even find enough love in your heart for me.___

_Just remember that I'll always love you, even when I'm long gone...___

_Eternally,___

_Amy___

Adam looked up from the letter, not even aware of the tears that had filled his eyes while he'd been reading it. 

Oh, my God... As he'd been reading, he'd somehow failed to notice the small red smears on the paper. _Now_, he was acutely aware of them. They looked like blood... Holy shit... 

Amy's letter looked so...so terribly tragic, so hopeless - so _final_. My God... Quickly, he re-read sections of her letter. 

_I can't go on. I hate my life and I can't take it anymore... Just remember that I'll always love you, even when I'm long gone. _And she'd signed it with 'Eternally.' Dear God, this was a _suicide_ note! 

"Christ!" The blond man ran for the door, the paper slipping from his fingers to lay forgotten on the floor near the bed, where he'd paced to while reading. In a flash, he was out the door, running up the two flights to Amy's room. As he ran, he reached into the pocket of his jeans, checking that he still had the keycard. It was there. 

He only hoped he wasn't too late... 

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**Part 39**

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	39. Fire&IceThe Fine Line Between Love&Hate

  


* * *

{And it's been awhile   
Since I could hold my head up high   
And it's been awhile   
Since I first saw you   
And it's been awhile   
Since I could stand on my own two feet again   
And it's been awhile   
Since I could call you 

And everything I can't remember   
As fucked up as it all may seem   
The consequences that I've rendered   
I've stretched myself beyond my means 

And it's been awhile   
Since I can say that I wasn't addicted   
And it's been awhile   
Since I can say I love myself as well   
And it's been awhile   
Since I've gone and fucked things up just like I always do   
And it's been awhile   
But all that shit seems to disappear when I'm with you... 

And it's been awhile   
Since I could look at myself straight   
And it's been awhile   
Since I said I'm sorry   
And it's been awhile   
Since I've seen the way the candle lights your face   
And it's been awhile   
But I can still remember just the way you taste...} 

Adam's hands shook as he held up the keycard as he was directly outside the door to what he knew to be Amy's hotel room. He cursed himself under his breath, as he couldn't afford to drop it or hesitate for a moment. Somehow, he forced himself to be as steady as possible, and he swiped the keycard through the door, shoving it open. 

He rushed into the room, glancing around quickly until his eyes spotted the blood on the floor near the bathroom. Actually, the red liquid was just in the doorway, and it seemed to make a small trail. 

Oh, Christ... He ducked his head into the bathroom, fearing he might find the redhead lying on the floor in the small room, her wrists slashed. However, the lavatory was empty. He took note of the smashed mirror above the sink, realizing what must have happened. 

_Oh, God_, he thought. She must have smashed the mirror and taken a shard to use as a weapon - a means to hurt herself. He couldn't bring himself to think of it as _killing _herself. 

And then, as he quickly left the small bathroom, his eyes were drawn to something else... 

The window was wide open... Because this was San Diego, rather than somewhere up north or in the northeast, the temperature hadn't been off - it was December, and elsewhere, he would have instantly been aware of the window being open because it would have been freezing in the room. 

Adam crept up to the window and peered out. 

Oh, God... There she was. Amy was sitting on the ledge, her legs dangling over the edge of the building. 

The blond man blinked, feeling as though he were in the middle of an impossible dream - a nightmare. 

He took note of the diva's hands - well, at least the right one, which was the only one he could currently see from this vantage point. It was gripping the ledge upon which she was sitting, and it looked to be bleeding. 

He winced. Amy was still apparently unaware of his presence, as she faced forward, her head down, tears streaming down her cheeks. His heart lurched uncomfortably in his chest. He was terrified of calling out to her and startling her - she could lose her balance and plummet to her death. They were on the sixth floor, certainly high enough for her to die if she fell. Oh, my God... 

Damn it! He had to do _something_! Then, his mind made up, he stuck his head out the window, hoping - _praying _- she would see or sense him and not totally freak out. 

She wasn't looking at him. She seemed completely oblivious of his presence, despite any noise he might have made while searching the hotel room. 

"Amy...?" 

Very slowly, the distraught diva turned her head toward him. The expression on her face was so sad and hopeless that it nearly broke his heart. 

She gazed at him - nearly _through _him - for a moment before facing forward again. 

"Adam...what are you doing here?" 

"Damn it! Amy, please come in here..." the blond man pleaded, the fear inside of him bubbling and roiling. He wasn't going to panic - he couldn't afford to give into panic. For the redhead's sake, he had to remain calm. 

Without turning back to face him, she spoke again, her voice sadder than tragedy. 

"Why should I? You read my note..." 

"Yeah, I did," Adam said, raking a hand through his long blond hair nervously. "And I couldn't believe my eyes - Amy, you can't do this!" 

"Why not? I don't want to continue...I can't go on like this," she said, her voice wavering. "Adam..." She stopped speaking abruptly as she was overcome by her tears. Her head bowed, she sobbed almost silently for a beat, and the Canadian stood there helplessly, wanting nothing more than to climb out the window and go after her - pull her to safety into the room. 

"How...how did you get in my room?" the redhead asked, and her question totally threw the blond man off guard. 

"Jeff - he gave me a spare keycard," Adam explained as calmly as he could manage. 

The redhead nodded, not surprised. In truth, she'd given the rainbow-haired Hardy the extra key for himself to hold onto, in case she felt she needed him. But the young man had obviously deemed it important to give Adam the key. _Leave it to Jeff_, she thought sardonically. 

"You don't have to stay here with me," she said bitterly. "I don't need you or anyone to hold my hand - literally _or _figuratively!" 

"That's where I think you're wrong," the tall blond man said. "And by the way - speaking of your hands, they're a mess. Look painful, too. Why...why did you do that?" 

"I was angry - I couldn't help it...I wasn't exactly thinking straight." 

Adam thought he was doing the ring thing in keeping her talking. Yes, this was the right tactic. If he made a move as though to try to drag her back into the room, she might make a wrong move and drop six stories, or whatever it was, to her demise. 

"Can you tell me what you're doing out there? Please?" he said, gritting his teeth as the woman suddenly shifted a bit on the ledge. Damn it... She was literally in a most precarious position. But if he leaned partially out the window, he could grab hold of her hand. He was strong - he could pull her in to safety. 

"I think I said all I needed to in my note, Adam," the redhead replied matter-of-factly. "Ames, you can't do this!" Adam cried, on the verge of tears himself. "You got me all wrong...Amy, I love you..." 

She turned her head slowly, rather than sharply, and stared at him, fresh tears running down her face. She didn't say a word. 

"And I'm not just _saying_ that to get you off that damn ledge. Damn it, I _love _you! I always have..." the blond man said. 

"I was just too much of a coward to say it - because I didn't know if the feeling was mutual." 

Amy stared at him, her shoulders shaking a bit as sobs took over. 

"As you know, there was never anything between Trish and me - other than friendship...And the reason I had her pretend otherwise is because I was too damn afraid of asking you how you felt about me..." he revealed. 

Adam suddenly realized there were tears running down his own face. "Amy, that was all to find out whether you had any feelings for me..._not _to play games with your heart..." 

The redhead stared at him with tearful hazel eyes, unable to believe her ears - or her eyes - he was crying, same as she was. 

"Ames...baby...please come back in," he pleaded, reaching a hand out the window to her. "I love you, and I _need _you, baby...I don't want to lose you - and I don't want to live without you..." 

Slowly, Amy lifted her bleeding right hand and reached over for him. Adam grabbed her hand, wincing at the thought of the pain she must be in due to the glass that was surely embedded in her hand. Then, as she was suddenly closer, he grasped her arm, and she helped him by pulling herself through the window. 

When she was inside the room with him, the tall Canadian hurriedly shut the window, then wrapped his arms tightly around her, and, as they cried against one another, he vowed never to let her slip away from him again. 

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**Part 40**

**Back**   
  
  
  
  



	40. Fire&IceThe Fine Line Between Love&Hate

  


* * *

Adam lay awake in the hotel room bed, his mind whirling with a thousand thoughts and thank yous as he felt Amy safe and warm in his arms. 

"Relieved" wasn't an accurate enough word for how he'd been feeling ever since coaxing the redhead off that window ledge. My God... How very close he'd come to losing her. How very close _she'd _come to ending it all - and over _him_. 

He couldn't help feeling guilty over what had happened. Although he knew that suicide or an attempt at it was never anyone else's fault but that of the person _trying _it - in cases of failed or dying relationships - he still couldn't rid himself of the guilt. 

Nonetheless, Adam pushed all the guilt aside. It belonged at the back of his mind, especially now. There were more important and _better _things to concentrate on right now. All he cared about was that Amy was alive and safe. And she was in his arms... They were back together. 

After sobbing in one another's arms for what had seemed like an eternity but had actually been minutes, the redhead had sheepishly voiced the question to him: _"Will you...take me back? That is, if you still _want _me after everything..."___

The tall blond man had actually found himself chuckling as he'd held her tightly against him. 

_"Damn it, Ames...You never _lost _me...I love you."___

Afterward, he'd brought her into the bathroom to tend to her wounds, wincing as he'd applied antiseptic to her hands. He'd suggested the idea of taking her to the emergency room in case some glass was embedded in her skin, but she'd shaken her head. She'd claimed that all she'd wanted for the moment was him - and to be alone together. He hadn't argued.__

They'd ordered a light room service meal, and Adam had spent the night. They hadn't made love. Somehow, it didn't quite seem like the appropriate time - but there would be plenty of time for it later. 

The sleeping diva suddenly shifted ever so slightly, making a blessedly contended sound in her slumber. The Canadian smiled softly as he rubbed his cheek against her soft, fragrant hair, marveling at the miracle that he had her in his arms now. It had been a lonely, miserable three weeks without the woman he loved. 

As he continued to reflect on the last few weeks, and everything that had occurred during them, a thought suddenly struck Adam. 

Tomorrow night, on RAW, he was going to do something for Amy - in the ring, but out of character. At this point, although they'd been together for just over a year, hardly anyone - with the exception of Jeff, Trish, Drew and now Matt - knew abou tthem. 

He decided he was going to let _everyone _know about their relationship... 

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**Part 41**

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	41. Fire&IceThe Fine Line Between Love&Hate

  


* * *

Hours later, Adam and Amy entered the arena for RAW. The redhead realized she desperately needed a break after what she'd been through over the past few weeks, not to mention her near-suicide attempt the previous night. 

She'd told the blond man she felt she needed some time off, and he assured her that he understood. Surprisingly, the hallway was nearly deserted as they made their way to the locker rooms. 

Adam gave Amy's hand a gentle squeeze as he held onto it firmly, then raised it to his lips and pressed a tender kiss on the back of it. 

"Are you absolutely sure you're up for being here, sweetie?" he asked. 

She nodded, glancing down at their hands. Her own were bandaged up with gauze after her mirror-shattering rampage from last night. She couldn't believe everything she'd done. It all seemed so insane - but she'd lost sense of all reason when she'd returned to the hotel yesterday. She'd been terribly upset and had not been thinking clearly at all. And the most terrifying thing was that she'd seriously wanted to die. 

Finally, the redhead spoke. "I _have _to be here, Adam...The storyline between Jeff, Matt and myself...you know..." 

"Yeah, I know," the tall Canadian said softly. 

"Besides," she continued as she gazed deeply into his deep green eyes, "I want to speak to Vince or Stephanie about getting some time off..." She bit her lip, as she definitely didn't want to have to tell either McMahon about what had happened last night, after Vengeance. But chances were, she would have no choice. She thought she would rather speak to Stephanie than her father, who could be a bit cold and brusque. The brunette was a woman, and therefore generally easier to talk to. Besides, she'd gone to Stephanie when she'd gotten that time off for Adam and herself, and the young woman had been very kind to her then. 

"All right..." Adam said gently, his gaze locked on her lovely face. "If you need me, you know where to find me." 

She nodded. 

The tall blond man leaned forward to capture her lips with his own. He planted a tender kiss on the diva, lingering for a moment before straightening back up and releasing her reluctantly. "See you later..." 

Then, he continued on down the hallway, leaving her standing in front of the closed door of the women's locker room. 

Amy watched as his form retreated in the distance down the corridor, then turned back toward the door and entered the room. There were only three other divas currently inside, and one of them rushed over to her in an instant. 

"Amy! Hi," Trish said, her chocolate-brown eyes large and expressive. "You wouldn't believe it...There's talk about people having seen a woman out on the ledge at the hotel last night...Wanted to kill herself." She shook her head, her face full of horror. "Can you imagine? That poor woman..." 

The redhead stared into her friend's face for a beat, her own expression blank. Then, glancing over at the other two divas in the room - Jacqueline and Stacy Keibler, she placed a hand on Trish's wrist. Dragging the little blonde to a corner of the room, she lowered her voice to a whisper. 

"That...that was _me _last night..." 

The Canadian woman's eyes widened as she stared at her friend in absolute shock. Her jaw dropped open as well, but she'd been rendered speechless. Swallowing hard, Trish blinked as she continued to merely stare at Amy. 

Finally regaining her voice, Trish whispered, "We'll talk more about this _later _- now is definitely not the right time..." 

The redhead nodded, her eyes locked with those of the blonde woman. Then, she started to make her way to the lockers, readjusting the bag on her shoulder, when the petite blonde stopped her. 

"Just tell me..." Trish said in sotto voce, her hand on Amy's arm. "Are you...okay now?" 

The high-flying diva nodded. "Yes...I really am..." 

The blonde swallowed again, a lump of emotion having formed in her throat. She couldn't believe her best friend had been the woman everyone had been talking about being on a building ledge last night. Tears threatened behind her eyelids, but she forced them back. 

"We'll talk more about all this later," the redhead said. "I _promise_..." 

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**Part 42**

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	42. Fire&IceThe Fine Line Between Love&Hate

  


* * *

Adam felt more than a little nervous as he stood by the curtain in the backstage area. 

Although he was actually dressed in wrestling regalia, he was not at the moment slated for a match. Instead, he was awaiting a cue so he could go out to the ring and speak on the microphone. 

A moment later, a stagehand let him know he was up, and the tall blond man bounded out there, his thoughts consumed by what had happened the previous night. _My God_... he thought. The woman he loved had basically wanted to _die _because of him. He felt horrible that he'd ever doubted Amy's true feelings for him, that he'd been too self-protective to tell her how _he _really felt. 

Adam swallowed hard as he stepped through the curtain and out onto the stage leading to the entry ramp. The fans erupted upon his appearance, and he couldn't help but wonder how they would react to his announcement. 

The moment he stepped into the ring, he turned toward ring announcer Lilian Garcia, who graciously handed him her mic. Then, his music was cut. 

"I know you're all wondering why I'm out here - and what I'm about to say..." he began. "And I'm sure you're all probably thinking it's going to be something to do with William Regal..." 

The crowd erupted into a chorus of boos for Edge's nemesis. 

"But I'm not out here right now for that...No," Adam said, raking a hand through his long blond hair. "There is one reason, one _person _who is why I'm out here right now..." His green eyes sparkled with emotion as he gazed toward the entryway. 

"There is a certain woman I have to call out here right now..." Then, thinking fast and furiously, he decided it best to call her by her in-ring name - never mind the angle in which she was currently involved with the Hardys. "Lita - if you would please find it in your heart to join me in this very ring..." The Canadian's voice took on an almost desperate, albeit tender, tone. 

The TitanTron cut from the image of himself standing in the ring to a shot of the divas' locker room, specifically a closeup of the lovely redhead's face. She appeared to be in shock, her hazel eyes slightly wide and mouth open in surprise. 

The voices of the other divas present in the room could be clearly heard. All the women were abuzz as they wondered aloud what was going on. The camera moved just slightly back to show Trish Stratus at Amy's side. The little blonde placed one friendly, almost consoling hand on the other woman's shoulder as though encouraging her. 

Finally, the redhead rose from where she'd been sitting and made her way to the door. The camera followed her as she walked down the hall on her way to the arena. 

The fans cheered like crazy as the female member of Team Xtreme stepped onto the stage. Evidently, they weren't really all that confused about what was happening. 

Amy's eyes remained glued to Adam's face as she walked down the ramp and to the ring, her expression part-placid, part-confused. 

She climbed the ring steps and entered the squared circle, a questioning look on her face as she came to stand directly before the blond man. 

They gazed at each other, neither speaking for a beat, and Adam became aware of how quiet the fans had grown. They really had no idea of what was going on here. 

Then, raising the mic to his lips, he spoke. "Thank you for meeting me out here..." 

The redhead still looked perplexed. 

"I just wanted to apologize again...and...I know not many people know this," he continued, now regarding the fans again. "None of _you _know it, nor do the superstars in the back, with the exception of Trish Stratus, Jeff Hardy, Stephanie McMahon, and now also Matt Hardy, but...Well, this woman right here..." Adam reached out with his free hand and gently placed it against Amy's cheek. "You see, we're together...We're in love...We've been together just over a year now..." His gaze remained locked on the redhead's, and her hazel eyes quickly filled with tears of emotion. 

"You are the love of my life, baby..." the Canadian spoke softly, his own eyes welling up with tears as he gazed at her. He moved his hand so that it gripped hers, and the redhead grabbed hold of the microphone with her free one. 

"I love you, too..." 

Then, casting the mic aside, the blond man wrapped his arms around her waist, and they kissed. 

The fans' applause and cheers of approval was nearly deafening - but to Adam, it was like music to his ears.   
  


~~End?? 

  
  
  
  
  


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End file.
